Golden Sun: A Tainted War
by Sea of Time
Summary: ***3-TIME FANFICTION OF THE YEAR - GOLDEN SUN SYNDICATE*** Mysterious forces are stirring and it is only a matter of time before their powers are unleashed upon the land. A Tainted War is about to begin.
1. Prologue

***FANFICTION OF THE YEAR 2006, 2007, 2008 - GOLDEN SUN SYNDICATE FORUMS***

After much work and over a year of writing, I'm bringing this story back to this site (starting over as the few readers from before have noticed). It has received modest attention at Golden Sun Syndicate, and those who are members there will recognize this story.

I have edited it slightly to make this the definitive final version of the story. After the prologue, there will be a period of inactivity, but upon return, the chapters will be updated in quick succession. I hope you enjoy reading it and remember, your reviews are greatly wanted and I appreciate anyone who takes time to criticize or complement my work.

Of course, Golden Sun is not my copyright, it belongs to Camelot and Nintendo.

**

* * *

Prologue **

A pigeon lifts up from an oak tree and circles the remnants. Sol Sanctum left in shambles after the Golden Sun rose once again eight days before. The pigeon lands on a smooth rock where the entrance to Sol Sanctum once stood, in lavish glory, made by sages many generations ago. The mountain side has been eroded away and the northern snow is almost visible from the low plains of Vale. The rubble of the remnants is made up of smooth rocks, as if the power of Alchemy itself crumbled the Sanctum. This is the way it is now, but the people of Vale vow to rebuild the town and start their lives anew, with the power of Alchemy at their side. Suddenly, a low rumble is emitted from deep below the surface. The pigeon takes off at this abnormality. The earthquakes caused by Sol Sanctum had stopped all together since the lighting of the four Lighthouses and the rising of the Golden Sun. Another rumble is emitted, this one louder and stronger than the first. The rocks near the centre of the rubble begin to crack, forming a smooth crevice. Water, as if flooding from the ground itself, comes spewing out of the crevice. As the water flow begins to wax slightly, a blue-haired man levitates out of the crevice.

The man was dirty from head to foot in clay and had visible bruises on both arms and a large gash above his left brow. He looks up at the Sun and squints, "So it is real then, the Golden Sun has risen," the man proclaims, speaking to nobody from himself, "How long have I been down here?" He tries to remember why but is totally oblivious to all that has happened in the weeks before, he has lost all memory of his past deeds. He looks around at his surroundings, and then looks due south and sees humans. The people appear to be building houses over the remnants of a town. He suddenly realized that he recognized two of these people, although he didn't know how. He could not remember their names but there was a sandy-haired young man and a young woman who's hair appears to be alight with flame.

"Isaac and Jenna," he mouthed to himself. As he remembered their names, memories of the past started to hit him like a thunderbolt. His breath left him as everything came back. The Elemental Room, Saturos and Menardi failing at the top of Venus Lighthouse, Karst and Agatio dying to the power of the Wise One, the Wise One's tainting of the Mars Star, the flooding feeling of failure as he fell thousands of feet to the ground. He caught his breath and felt a fresh wave of failure wash over him. He had not gained any power from the Golden Sun. He was the same adept he always was. He felt the need to walk away to the west. He did not know where he was going, but he knew anywhere was better than here. He vowed to himself that the next time he returned to this spot, he will be more powerful than ever before. Then they will rue the day they believed they had defeated Alex, master adept.

* * *


	2. Foreword

Finally, I will begin posting the chapters to this story. It was completed about four months ago, and has since won two straight "Fanfiction of the Year" awards on Golden Sun Syndicate Forums. Any fans of Golden Sun from now or in the past, I hope you will enjoy the beginning, middle, and conclusion to this piece of work. Thank you for reading.

* * *

**Foreword**

Five years have passed since the rise of the Golden Sun. In that time, the magnificent town of Vale has been rebuilt and is prosperous in all that it does. All the people of Weyard now have the power of psynergy at their disposal. Most of their powers are weak, but the few powerful Adepts are respected by all. All eight of the adepts are still in good health but have spread out across the world. Isaac and Felix still live in Vale, along with Jenna and the energetic Garet. Isaac and Jenna are now happily married and have a son, Grant. Ivan has said goodbye to Vault and now lives a happy life in Contigo with Hamma. Sheba lives in Lalivero, and is still good friends with Faran. Together, they speared the completion of Babi Lighthouse, which is now one of the greatest wonders of their generation. Mia returned to Imil. Though she is not needed as long as the Healing Water flows, she still helps the townspeople with all their problems. Piers does not have a fixed location. He sails the seas in the Lemurian Ship that he once helmed with the other seven. Kraden has passed on and now sleeps happily below his old house in Vale. His loss is mourned by all.

Many things have changed throughout the towns of Weyard as well. Tolbi and Kalay have combined their forces and are now joint cities. Their leaders, Hammet and Iodem, the successor of Babi have become good friends as well. Madra and Alhafra have also become joint cities after the Alhafran people overthrew the greedy mayor. On the continent of Hesperia, Shaman Village has opened its doors to all different peoples and has become a popular destination for tourists who wish to hear about the adepts' race to the top of Trial Road and their legendary battle with Moapa. In the Northern Reaches, Prox has become a trading center to all of the Western Sea as it enters a new age. Finally, Lemuria has begun its long path to renewal but has been in turmoil since the death of King Hydros. Piers has been offered the throne but declined to continue his exploration. The throne is still open and there is a heated debate as to who will inherit it between the Senate and Lunpa. Weyard is ready, however, for something dramatic to happen. Mysterious forces are stirring and it is only a matter of time before their powers are unleashed upon the land. A Tainted War is about to begin.


	3. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Isaac wake up!"

Isaac looked up and saw his mother over him looking concerned.

"The boulder is about to fall, you have to get up!" This is too familiar thought Isaac. Suddenly, in the far off distance he heard crying. He looked around but didn't see any infants.

"Isaac, wake up!"

"Come on Isaac, it's your turn, get up."

_Uuuuuhhhh, leave me alone… _

"Okay, that's it," Isaac jolted awake as his left shirt arm was lit afire. He looked up blearily and saw Jenna.

"Come on, you lazy beast," she said lovingly, "It's your turn to change Grant."

"Do you have to set my shirt on fire?" asked Isaac.

"Would you get up if I didn't?" retorted Jenna. Isaac grunted, got out of bed slowly and looked out the window. The sun was still low, it was just minutes after sunrise. He walked out into their hallway and walked to the end and entered the room. There he saw his pride and joy, his son, Grant, in the crib that Felix had made for him. Isaac smiled as he thought of how much work Felix had put into it. Grant, however, was not so happy. He looked up at Isaac with wet eyes and started to bawl even louder.

"Okay, okay, what's wrong," he walked up to Grant and his nose filled with the smell of a full diaper, "Ohhhh, that's what's wrong." He picked up Grant and took him over to the changetable which was given to him by his mother. Isaac recalled that twenty years ago, he was the one who's diaper needed changing and his dad, Kyle, was the one doing it. Pride swelled inside him as he thought of his father doing this.

He pulled off the diaper and was greeted by the unwanted aroma of Grant's waste. "Man," he said, "What has your mother been feeding you."

"I heard that!" said Jenna from the other room, "Just change him and stop complaining," Isaac grinned, this is exactly how their relationship worked. She was a scroundrel, but a lovable scoudrel at that, thought Isaac. Isaac took the diaper over to the garbage bin as a knock on the door was heard.

"Jenna, could you get that? I'm tending to the kid over here," called Isaac.

"I guess so…" she grumbled, muttering all the way to the door. The doorbell rung again.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming," said Jenna as she opened the door, "Oh, hey Garet."

Garet had not changed much in the five years since the quest. He was still bulky, childish, and a little immature. Garet walked into Grant's room and as the smell hit his nose, he wrinkled it and commented, "Geez, Isaac, still doing the dirty work around here?"

Isaac laughed, "Yeah, family life is a lot of work. How's living with your mom?"

Garet scowled, "Oh, Isaac you were always so serious, what happened to you."

"Her," answered Isaac, laughing.

"Yeah, Jenna does that to people."

"I heard that!!! You guys should keep it down when you're talking about me!" yelled Jenna from the other room.

"Hahaha, always the eavesdropper, eh, Jenna?" shouted Garet in a booming voice.

"Oh quiet you," she answered as she walked into the room, "So, how was Lunpa last night?"

"Okay, I met a nice woman named Fiara but she was a total bomb." Answered Garet. Garet wasn't married and he spent his nights in different towns looking for women, "She really wasn't my type."

"Oh well, you'll find someone," said Jenna with care.

"Yeah, your Mom won't keep you forever," laughed Isaac.

"Oh, shut up Isaac, that joke's starting to wear off," said Garet smirking. As Isaac was about to retort, there was another knock on the door. Isaac signaled that he would get it and walked out of the room, "Always the hero," said Garet as he left.

Isaac ignored this remark and opened the door. Felix stood in the doorway, "Hey Felix, how's it going?"

"Isaac, there's a letter that was sent to Vale this morning," said Felix seriously, "it was sent by Tolbi, I think you should read it."

"Sure, I guess, I'll meet you in town square. Just give me a minute to tell Jenna and Garet where I'm going."

"I think they should come with, this concerns them too."

Isaac was surprised how concerned Felix seemed about this, "Alright." About ten minutes later, the four of them met in town square. The psynergy stone was still there even after the destruction of Vale five years ago. The centre of town was rebuilt to be the same as it was before the destruction.

Felix was there and he handed an envelope to Isaac, "Read it," he said. 

Isaac opened it and was stunned as he read the letter. "This is unbelievable," he said quietly.


	4. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_To the town of Vale and its residents,_

The city of Tolbi is undergoing changes. We feel that our place in Weyard is unacceptable to the superiorism we possess. We have combined the forces of Tolbi with forces from towns across the Eastern Sea. The towns we have allegiances with are Kibombo, Naribwe, Madra, and Alhafra. Also, we have severed our ties with Kalay. Therefore, we control all land in between the borders of these towns.

We acknowledge the power possessed by Vale in the form of the eight adepts that lit the Lighthouses five years ago. We would like to possess this power and we can acquire it in one of two ways. We are extending a hand to you. If Vale and the eight adepts join our "empire" we will spare you from unnecessary bloodshed. If you refuse we will declare war on the whole of Weyard that is not within our empire.

We have powers you cannot imagine. You do not want to test us. You have a fortnight to respond.

Iodem

Isaac read it aloud to Garet and Jenna. "I don't understand," Garet said, "Iodem was supportive of us on our quest to Venus Lighthouse. What's all this about an empire?"

"And why haven't we heard about this before?" asked Jenna, "Tolbi could not have possibly possessed all this land right under our nose."

"They have been very secretive as of late," remarked Isaac.

"What are we supposed to do?" asked Garet.

"We need more information," commented Felix. Isaac thought about this as the others gave ideas about what to do.

As Isaac thought he felt a force inside his head. He suddenly felt faint. He felt as if he was falling thousands of feet, falling towards his death when…he stopped. He felt a voice fill his head. 

_Isaac. _

Isaac, it's Sheba.

Since we last saw each other, I have gained the psynergy of telepathy. That is how I'm reaching you. You cannot respond while I speak to you. I feel the worry that fills you. I have left Lalivero since I heard about Tolbi. I am now traveling to Kolima. If you wish to meet, we should meet there. We must regroup the eight. We will plan that there. Meet me there by nightfall tomorrow. I will sever our tie now, I expect you. 

"Isaac, Isaac?" Isaac looked up to see a concerned Garet. He saw that he had fallen to the ground and was lying flat on his back.

"Are you okay?" asked a concerned Jenna.

"I'm…I'm fine," said Isaac wearily.

"Man, you went out like a light, what happened to you?" asked Garet.

"Sheba…contacted me," answered Isaac.

"How could she do that, she's miles away from here in Lalivero!" exclaimed Felix. So, Isaac explained to all of them how he had been contacted and he told them what Sheba told him.

"So…we go to Kolima than," said Felix, "We had better get started, Kolima is a day from here if we move fast."

"Who will take care of Grant?" asked Jenna, concern written on her face. 

"We should talk to my mother," said Isaac, "once she knows what we are doing, she will be more than willing to take Grant in while we are away."

"Okay, let's go to your place then," said Garet. As they walked up, Isaac thought about why Tolbi would send a threat like that to Vale. 

_There's something going on here, Garet is right, Iodem has been our friend throughout the time we've known him. Something must have caused a change of heart. Before we agree or disagree, we have to find who or what is behind this._

"What's wrong?" asked Doris, concerned.

"You all look concerned about something," commented Kyle.

"Read this," said Isaac. As they read Tolbi's letter, their faces looked more and more grim.

As he finished reading this Kyle looked up and commented, "This is not good, what are you going to do?"

Felix answered the question, "Before we make a hasty decision, we are going to Kolima to speak with Sheba. Our short term goal is to get the eight of us together before the week is over."

"An impossible task to be sure," said Doris, apprehensive.

"We must do this, all eight of us must make this decision, not just the four of us," said Jenna.

"Mom, we came here to ask a couple of favors before we leave," started Isaac, "we need someone to take care of Grant while we are gone. You are the greatest caregiver I have ever known and it would honor me for you to take care of him."

"Of course, honey, I will be happy to," answered Doris.

"Thank you, Mom. We should be leaving before nightfall so we can make it to Kolima before nightfall tomorrow," Isaac said, "Dad, goodbye." Isaac hugged his mother and his father.

They spent the rest of the day preparing for the journey. Isaac freshened up on his psynergy and prepared his Darksword for battle. He slipped on the Cleric's Ring which had saved his life on many occasions. As the sun set, Isaac made one more walk through town. He passed Kraden's house, where six years ago, he was preparing to climb Sol Sanctum for education. The events that followed were, up to this point, the most hectic and exciting of his life. He thought about what the next fortnight would bring. How were they going to get the three remaining adepts back within the next week? As his worries filled him, he was suddenly jolted by a rush of energy. The energy washed over him and Isaac knew that he was ready for another quest.


	5. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

As the sun disappeared behind the mountains in the west, the four adepts met in town square. "Alright, guys. Do you have all you need?" asked Felix. Isaac, Jenna, and Garet solemnly nodded, "Make sure you have your djinn as well," added Felix, "They're an indispensable asset." The three of them nodded again.

"Okay, let's get started, we'll travel to Vault first," said Isaac. And so, with that, the four of them touched the psynergy stone to replenish their powers. Isaac's energy filled as he touched his index finger to the stone. Then, they walked out of their hometown once again, setting out for another quest. As Isaac looked back he recalled the different circumstances of what lied ahead of them last time they left the town. That time they had no idea what lay ahead of them except that they must pursue Saturos and Menardi.

_Those were different times_

As they followed the trail in the dark they encountered a few weak monsters who were defeated easily by their team. Isaac marveled at how easy the psynergy to him even after five years without a battle. Finally, after about an hour, Vault was visible even in the dark of night.

"Let's rest for the night here," said Garet, yawning.

"I wish we could, but we must get at least to Bilibin," answered Felix, "We are only stopping in Vault to find out what or if they know about the goings-on in Tolbi." Garet scowled but Isaac knew that he understood.

Isaac looked over at Jenna. Even in the dark, she looked white. Isaac put his arm over her shoulders and reassured her, "Everything's going to be alright."

Jenna kissed him on the cheek and answered, "I know, thanks." As they approached Vault they saw that there were two figures at the entrance. As they got closer they saw that they were holding spears.

"Who goes there?" one of them asked as they lowered their spears at them.

"My name is Isaac, this is Felix, Jenna, and Garet," answered Isaac, "we are friends of the mayor, perhaps you have heard of us."

"Oh," said the other, "I'm sorry sir, it's just we can't trust anyone today."

"Have you heard of what's happening in Tolbi then as well?" asked Garet bluntly.

"We've more than heard of it, but perhaps you want to talk this over with the mayor," answered one of them.

"Yes, but we are in a hurry, could you take us to him?" asked Felix politely.

"Follow us." They walked up the staircase and along the raised pathway until they arrived at the mayor's house. One of the villagers rapped on the door three times in quick succession. They heard a gasp from inside the house, and the creaking of a chair. The mayor opened the door and looked at the villager worried.

"What's the matter?" asked the mayor, clearly afraid for his life.

"I have brought four visitors for you," answered the villager. The mayor squinted in the darkness, "Isaac? Garet? Is that you?"

"It's us, mayor," answered Isaac, "Please let us in, we are in a bit of a rush."

"Alright," said the mayor, stepping out of the way to let them in, "Good to see you Jenna, and you Felix." Felix nodded and Jenna walked into the house without any gesture.

Felix shut the door behind him, looked at the mayor, and said, "What is the matter, mayor, we have never seen you put up security for the town. What have you heard?"

"It's a long story. Take a seat, I will try to make it short as I know you have places to be," the mayor sat down in an armchair next to the fire. He stoked the fire and the flames started to strengthen, "Two days ago we got a letter from Iodem, the mayor of Tolbi. It stated that they had joined forces with towns across the Eastern Sea and that they had formed what they called an "empire" of sorts. They threatened Vault and said if we did not join them, they would be forced to invade our town!" There was silence for a few moments.

Jenna, surprisingly, was the first to speak, "Mayor, Vale has also received an open threat from Tolbi and it's affiliates. The letter gave us a fortnight from yesterday to respond. If we declined they would launch a war on the rest of Weyard that was not yet on their side."

The mayor, clearly shocked, answered, "A fortnight! We were given three days to respond! Why were you given so much longer?"

A confused Garet asked, "Why is that? It would only be fair to give them the same amount of time as we got!"

The mayor answered him, "We also did not get a threat saying they would start a war on all of Weyard either." All was silent as the five thought out the reasoning behind this.

Isaac looked up first, he knew what was going on, "I know what Tolbi is doing. They are planning on expanding their empire before we get a chance to respond. They have probably sent invitations like this to different small towns across Angara and Indra. If they expand their domain, they will have a better chance to win against our forces." 

The mayor looked at Isaac for a moment and then asked, "What do we do? I do not want to join but our town cannot fight off the forces of Tolbi."

Felix answered, "Wait until the last day and send your answer before sunset. You must say yes, it's the only way your town will survive. You must give us time, though. We are going to get the eight of us together and then plan from there."

The mayor nodded, "This is a good plan."

Isaac looked at the others, "We have ground to cover. We must make it to Bilibin before morning comes. Thank you mayor for your time, we hope to see you again when all of this is sorted out."

"May the elementals bless you on your quest," said the mayor. With that, they left the mayor and set out again to the northeast. Isaac knew that they now had more reason to hurry.

_Things are coming together for Tolbi faster than we expected. We must get the eight together as soon as possible. Weyard will suffer if we do not._


	6. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

As they walked out from Goma Cave, the blinding sunlight flooded their eyes. It was morning and they had made it to Bilibin. They decided not to go in so to avoid the mayor. They continued east, quicker now because they were in sunlight. Finally, in a couple of hours, they had made it to Bilibin Barricade. Most of it was still intact but it had now been passed so often, it was permanently open. By midday, Kolima was within sight. As they approached, they saw the town was in much better shape than the last time they had been there. Last time, as Isaac and Garet told Felix, they had had to save the town from Tret because he had turned them all to trees. Felix grinned at this, saying that it was marvelous that they took the time to help them with, in retrospect to their quest, such a small problem.

Isaac laughed at this, "We lost several days on you just by taking that detour." Isaac was surprised at their good spirits going into Kolima.

"So, where is Sheba?" asked Garet.

Isaac, to be honest, had no idea. Suddenly, he felt a sudden urge to check the caves underground where they had found a djinn many years ago. "In the cave," said Isaac, sure now that's where she was. So the four walked into the back of the house Isaac and Garet had walked into many years ago.

As they entered, the cave, they saw a familiar face, Sheba was standing at the bottom of the ladder. She looked much different then the last time they had seen her. Her hair had grown and she now kept it straight. She was much taller and she now wore a small ring on her right index finger. "Hello, old friends," she said, smiling. They all hugged her and then backed away, ready for some news. "What I have to say will give us a good idea as to what we should do next. First of all, Tolbi has now gained control of Lalivero. Faran had no choice but to join forces with them. All of their soldiers are tired from completing the Babi Lighthouse. This means that Babi Lighthouse has become the center for all of Tolbi's military. It is near the centre of their empire as well. Within the next few days, all of Gondowan and Indra will be under their control."

Garet stopped her, "How are they doing this? I realize their soldiers are powerful but not powerful enough to hold a whole continent captive!"

Sheba nodded and continued, "The soldiers, in the past five years, have become much more powerful. They possess psynergy from all four elements and in battle, they do not tire. The only way to stop them is to kill them in one blow. Their psynergy is not strong, but they recognize the weakness of the opponent and attack it with fury. I fought off ten of them, as I fled Lalivero."

"How can, all of a sudden, they possess power from all four elements?" asked Jenna.

"This, I do not know," answered Sheba, "I do know that the spread of Alchemy has something to do with it, but that is not the only factor and I cannot guess the other."

"So, what do we do?" asked Garet.

"There is only one way we can make that decision and that's with the eight of us combined." answered Felix.

"I have good news on that subject," commented Sheba, "I have contacted Ivan, who, as you know, has the teleport lapis. He has teleported to Imil, to get Mia. They are on their way here, as we speak. We are to meet them at the eastern edge of Mogall Forest. There, we should

meet with Piers who will bring the Lemurian Ship."

"From there, we should go to Lemuria to seek counsel from King Hydros," said Isaac.

"That is a good plan, he might be able to help us. Lemuria has powerful water adepts, which could help us in our war," said Felix.

Sheba then said, "We must start to the Mogall Forest. I imagine by now, Ivan and Mia have reached Fuchin Temple. They will be in Mogall before the end of the day. Sadly, I do not have the power of Teleport so we must walk with haste." So, they left the cave and continued south. There was not much distance left for them to travel. They would reach Mogall by nightfall easily.

"Sheba?" asked Isaac as they walked across a bridge, "how did you learn telepathy?"

"The Golden Sun gives all adepts power, Isaac, perhaps you have not discovered yours yet," Sheba said mysteriously as she walked ahead.

_Hidden powers? This is getting more confusing every step we take._


	7. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

They entered the Mogall Forest, this time with no monsters to guide them. The four of them headed east at any opportunity and though they got lost quite a few times, their psynergy got them out. Finally, the smell of sea air hit them and they knew they had made it. They stepped out from the last ring of trees and stood on a rocky beach. In front of them were Mia and Ivan, deep in conversation.

"Hey guys," said Isaac, breaking their silence.

"Oh, Isaac," said Mia, hugging him, "Felix, Garet, Jenna, it's so good to see you all." She hugged all of them in turn.

"Hey guys," said Ivan grinning, "have a nice walk?"

Garet smirked back, "You wind adepts have it too easy, teleporting everywhere. If I could teleport, I would, and I would never walk again!"

"Yeah, you could get to Lunpa and back to your mother's house in a blink of an eye!" said Isaac, laughing. Everyone else laughed. Even Garet smiled.

"It's good to be together again," said Jenna. Everyone nodded at this comment.

"So, when will Piers be arriving?" asked Mia, clearly concerned at his absence.

"I'm sure he'll be here before midday," answered Sheba, "I told him to arrive early today."

"I'm already here," said a voice. Everyone looked around wondering where the voice came from, it was clear that it was Piers but he was nowhere in sight. Suddenly, Isaac saw the outline of a ship on the edge of the water. Then, all at once, the ship flashed into view and so did Piers, standing in front of the ship.

"Piers!" exclaimed Felix, "How did you do that?"

Piers laughed, "I have learned to not only Cloak myself but the ship as well. I have become stronger, Felix, surely you as well."

"No," answered Felix incredulously, "you and Sheba have both grown since we separated."

"I'm sorry, Felix, I didn't know," said Piers.

Felix chuckled, "You don't have to be sorry, I'm sure there's something I have that you don't. Anyways, we have more pressing issues to talk about."

Isaac spoke next, "Piers, what do you know from traveling the sea?"

Piers looked at the others gravely, "Much has changed across the world. I have traveled the Eastern Sea and have learned much about the spread of Tolbi's forces. First of all, Tolbi has not yet reached the Apojii Islands or Izumo and they are unaware of all the goings-on at the mainland. However, Lemuria has heard about them. I have learned from my uncle that King Hydros has perished since we left."

"What? How could we not know?" asked Ivan incredulously.

"I have only learned the news in the past month, it just happened as far as I know. The Senate has capitalized on his death and started to vote within each other for the throne. Lunpa is the only force that can stop the Senate from taking control of the throne. He feels that if the Senate takes the throne, they will probably be tempted by Tolbi's offer. They may even accept. This would mean that our greatest ally would be under the control of our enemy." answered Piers.

"So, our best plan would be to go to Lemuria then," concluded Isaac.

"Right," answered Piers, "We must make haste, though, the Senate is acting fast."


	8. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The ship was of Lemurian make, with the dragon's head at the helm and intricate detail on every surface of the ship. It was one of only three ships of its kind outside of the kingdom of Lemuria. One was stolen by Babi after he entered Lemuria to get the elixir of life he so sorely wanted. One was owned by the outcast Piers, who shared with the other seven adepts, the heroes of the Golden Sun. This ship was the last of those three. Once, six years before, Saturos and Menardi helmed this ship from their hometown of Prox to Vale, where they set off a cataclysm of events in the year that followed. After Saturos and Menardi were defeated atop Venus Lighthouse, the ship was lost in the small bay south of the Lighthouse. Laliverans learned of its existence and searched for it in the bay over the next three years, but to no avail. They came to the conclusion that only a powerful water adept, one upon the same level as Mia or Piers, could scour that bay and find the ship. But, there was one other water adept that the Laliverans thought to be dead that could find that ship...

Alex wheeled the ship around, heading due east. He smiled as the sun greeted him on the fine morning. The sunlight glinted off the water of the Eastern Sea, temporarily blinding him as he looked towards his set path. For five years he had wandered Weyard, trying to find a plan to exact revenge on the eight "heroic" adepts. Finally, six months ago, he found his idea. Tolbi, the home to the greatest soldiers in Gondowan, was very vulnerable. Iodem, who had taken over for the late Babi was regal and collected on the outside, but Alex knew of the confusion on the inside. Alex entered Tolbi and convinced Iodem to take hold of Suhalla. At first, Iodem was reluctant and did not want to create a disturbance but Alex continued to use cool words to poison his mind. Eventually, Iodem agreed and Tolbi easily took it for its own. Alex saw that Iodem liked what he saw. He wanted Tolbi to be more powerful. Then Hammett, the leader of Kalay, part of the joint city that had been formed between Kalay and Tolbi, came to Tolbi. He was looking for answers as to what was going on and what the political benefits to overthrowing Suhalla were. Alex, seeing that Iodem was turning back to his former self as he realized the error of his ways, disposed of Hammett by ordering Tolbi soldiers to murder him. Alex then sent a letter to Kalay telling them that the joint city treaty was disposed and they were now under the control of Tolbi. If they disagreed they would be invaded and destroyed by soldiers of Tolbi. Alex then convinced Iodem to give him full control over Tolbi's military operations. Iodem agreed and Alex then ordered the soldiers to overtake other cities such as Kibombo, Naribwe, Madra, and Alhafra, arming them with psynergy of all four elements. Tolbi's military numbers grew, but there was still one place they had not overthrown. Lalivero, a city with the second largest military force in Gondowan. The fight for Lalivero was the hardest fought of all. Many soldiers were lost on both sides, but eventually, the psynergy granted to Tolbi's soldiers proved too powerful for Laliveran soldiers to handle and they were overthrown. Alex then moved his central military location to the newly captured Babi Lighthouse. The Tolbi Empire was nearly complete.

Alex knew that now was the time to try to kill the adepts. He prepared a trap for them that he knew they would not miss. First, letters of treason were sent to Lemuria and all the villages of Angara including Vale. Alex knew that once Felix and Isaac received this letter they would try to regroup and go to Lemuria for answers.

_Fools,_ _the take over of Lemuria is already complete. They are heading right towards their death._

Alex smiled as he thought of their dead bodies. He had been waiting a long time for this day. He took a deep breath, smelling the salty air of the sea and sped the ship towards Lemuria. He wanted to see first hand the demise of his long time enemies.

_It won't be long now before they realize the grievous mistake they've made._


	9. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Isaac stood at the helm of the ship, watching the fog roll alongside them.

"Getting to Lemuria should be a lot easier this time," said Piers from the wheel of the ship, "the Sea of Time has disintegrated since we defeated Poseidon."

"That's good," said Isaac. He wasn't really listening to Piers, his mind was on other things. He looked down upon the ripples of water as the ship's bow glided across them without even a wake. Isaac decided to head inside to see how Jenna was doing.

He opened the door to the inside of the ship, and saw the others sitting around the table, solemn, without a trace of conversation. They all looked up as Isaac entered the room.

"How far?" asked Garet in a monotone.

"Only about an hour," answered Isaac, turning his gaze upon Jenna, "Can I talk to you Jenna?"

"Sure," she answered. Jenna got up from the table with a creak of her chair, nodded at the others and followed Isaac to the basement.

"How are you?" asked Isaac.

"I'm fine," answered Jenna in an unconvincing tone.

"Is it Grant? Are you worried about him?"

"No, I'm sure Dora is taking good care of him."

"What is it then?"

"...It's this whole journey, Isaac, I can't believe this is...happening."

"Even now? After all the information we've received you still don't believe?"

"No, I just don't know why Tolbi of all places would create an empire."

"Me neither, they always seemed peaceful."

"Isaac, I don't know why I'm afraid. Do you think we should be going to Lemuria? I have a bad feeling," said Jenna, in a curious tone.

Isaac pondered this, "I'm sure it will be fine. Lunpa will help us, just like last time. And if things don't go well?" Isaac looked in her eyes, "you have me, and I'll always be there."

Jenna smiled and Isaac leaned in to kiss her before returning to the deck to be meeted by Piers.

Piers grinned at the others, "Welcome to Lemuria." The ship was now inside a cavern and Piers was navigating it through sharp rocks and pillars as only a true Lemurian could. Finally, he stopped the ship in between two docks. The eight of them slowly unboarded the ship and walked towards the light outside of the cave. Isaac squinted as the light hit his eyes.

"It's so much brighter," he commented.

Piers replied, almost giddy with excitement, "Lemuria has finally started on its long path to renewal. Look around you, Isaac, everyone." The concrete fences which were detailed with Lemurian art, were no longer covered with ivy and lichens as it was last time they arrived there. Shadows were cast by the fences and momentarily saved them from the glare of the sun every three steps. They approached the entrance, expecting two guards to be there as they were five years ago. To their surprise, however, there was no guard there and the entrance was left unblocked.

"Has Lemuria let their guard down?" asked Felix of Piers.

"Not that I know of. My brothers are usually guarding the entrance to Lemuria," he answered.

"Walk with caution," said Isaac then, "perhaps Tolbi's take-over is closer to being finished than we foresaw. Head straight for Lunpa's house, no detours." They then went up the stairs for the main centre of Lemuria. As they left the staircase they were greeted by a surprising sight.

First of all, the city was much cleaner and brighter than it was five years ago. All undergrowth was gone from the concrete and it was white as snow as the sun gleamed upon it. In the distance, the palace shone with beauty that Isaac had never seen.

"Kraden would have loved to see this," whispered Jenna into Isaac's ear.

"It's spectacular," he replied, nodding.

"Wait a minute," said Garet then, "where is everyone?"

In all the renewed splendour of the city, Isaac did not notice that there was nobody here. Nobody at the fountain, nor the cemetery, or even outside of the houses.

"This doesn't look good," said Felix uncomfortably, "let's get back to Lunpa's house quickly."

They walked quietly east towards the house they had found five years before. As it came into sight, they saw that it too was much brighter than before. Isaac tested the front door, it swung open easily, much unlike five years ago, when Lunpa had to slam himself into it just to move it an inch. The front foyer was empty.

"Lunpa, it's us, the adepts," said Isaac, with no answer.

"Lunpa! It's Felix!" said Felix loudly, also with no answer except for an echo.

"Come on, let's check the living area," said Piers. They walked into the living area, which looked quite the same as last time except for one detail. Lunpa was lying facedown on the rug, lifeless.

"Lunpa? Lunpa!" cried Isaac in despair. Lunpa did not move, "Mia!"

"Yes!" said Mia, rushing up to him and immediately tapping her psynergy healing Lunpa.

"Isaac, it's too late he's..."

"Dead," said a cool voice from the doorway. Isaac and Felix wheeled around at breakneck speeds. Alex was standing in the doorway, an evil grin spread across his face.


	10. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

He sat silently on his throne, the room around him red with blood. Severed limbs lay in heaps, shattered swords and helms tossed into the corners. He buried his face in his hands, tears falling from his face. The doors opposite him creaked slowly opened and he slowly moved his head to look.

Her.

"Now do you understand?" she asked him.

_Yes! Yes! I am so sorry for everything._ he wanted to say, but his mouth betrayed him once again.

"I understand nothing," he said loud and powerful.

"You have taken over Gondowan. You have taken over Angara. You killed these civilians who only wanted to talk sense! You...you killed my husband," she choked on her tears, but continued in a composed voice, "I will ask you again. Do you understand?"

_Please you must understand me. It's him. He made me do it! I understand! I am so sorry!_

Tears spilled down his face and onto his shirt as he looked into her face, a look of composure hiding the pain and sorrow.

He answered her, choking on every word, "I...understand...nothing."

"Then you must die, Iodem. You must die for the sins you have committed and the lives you have taken away," she picked up a black sword from the floor, blood stains covered the blade. This was his blade, given to Iodem.

_No! It's his...Do not attack me. He...him will make me...kill..._

She screamed as tears poured down her face. She ran at him with the sword pointed directly at his heart. He remained on the throne, face buried in his hands, his body hiding the terror he felt on the inside.

_I did not kill your husband! He did it! He made...do not attack me!_ he thought with fear and frustration.

The sword came within inches of him before he jumped with inhuman speed, and snatched the sword from her grasp. He turned and looked at her, shock written everywhere on her face.

_No don't...Alex..._

"Your husband committed treason. He did not comply with my demands. Hammett deserved death for this and now so do you, for the same felony."

"Iodem...no"

_No..._

But it was too late, he flicked his wrist effortlessly, sending the sword shooting directly at her. The sword pierced her directly in the heart. She fell to her knees.

On her knees, she looked at him, grimacing with pain, "Iodem...do not...give in."  
She then fell to the floor, dead.

He looked at her with a look of disgust that once again hid his true emotions, and went back to his throne. He sat down and buried his face in his hands once again.

_Alex...only you deserve this. Only you deserve death._

He wept again into his blood-covered hands, not for the last time.


	11. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Isaac almost felt faint as he looked down at Lunpa's dead body, then up at the evil grin on Alex's face. Alex almost looked exactly the same as last time Isaac had seen him, except now he had a huge scar above his left brow. As the reality of his return set in, questions came to his mind.

But it was Felix, not Isaac who broke the stunned silence, "You..." he said. His voice was not of surprise, which Isaac had expected, but filled with cold fury.

"Felix, my old friend," said Alex cooly, taking a step towards Felix.

"Stay away from me," answered Felix, "you're no friend of mine."

Isaac looked at Felix, then over at Alex. Felix was clearly disgusted and angry at the sight of their old foe. Alex, on the other hand, was smirking, clearly amused at Felix's unexpected emotion.

"Felix, after all we went through, how can you be so hateful?" Alex said sarcastically.

Isaac spoke now for the first time, "How dare you mock him. After what you did to him? You attempted to use the power of Alchemy for your own tyranny!"

"Isaac you and your little friends shouldn't even have been involved in what happened five years ago. Your petty pursuit of Saturos and Menardi only caused a setback that was easily fixed."

Mia spoke now, her voice trembling, "We...trusted you Alex and you turned against us."

Alex turned to look at her, and Isaac swore he saw him give her a look of care, "Mia...you cannot fathom the power that the Golden Sun brings. I had to have this power, I had to climb Mt. Aleph. I would have that power now if it wasn't..."

"For the Wise One," Isaac finished. Alex turned his head and gave Isaac a look of pure hate that made the hair on the back of Isaac's neck stand.

"The Wise One gave you the power that was rightfully mine," he spitted at Isaac, "my power!"

"But..."

"Yes, I have learned that you apparently don't have any new powers," answered Alex, with fake pity, "this is exactly why you must be taken care of. All eight of you, before you realize what you have."

Felix laughed, "There is only you, Alex, you cannot possibly hope to defeat all eight of us."

"Felix, you are no less nieive than you were five years ago. You don't really think it's a coincidence that there is nobody outside in all of Lemuria, do you?"

"What are you talking about?" growled Felix.

Alex smiled, "The Senate has already accepted Tolbi's offer. Lord Conservato is now King Conservato."

"We're too late?" asked Ivan.

"There was never a hope for what you were trying to achieve. Lunpa was the only opposing force to the Senate after Hydros died and you can see what they did to him," Alex laughed, "Lemurian forces were going to march on Vale to kill you adepts. How happy they will be to know that they won't have to go anywhere. And I'll be pleased to be the one to tell them you're here."

"You..." growled Felix, pulling out the Sol Blade, glimmering as it was summoned from its sheath. Alex effortlessly sent a water jet at Felix, pummeling him in the chest, sending him flying and crashing against the back wall.

"Felix, you must learn to control your temper. Well, I've overstayed my welcome here. Good luck with the Lemurians!" Alex laughed hysterically, then faintly glimmered and disappeared.

"What do we..." started Isaac, but he was interrupted by a crash from the hallway. A lone Lemurian stepped into the room. Isaac noticed that the Lemurian's eyes were glazed and he looked oddly familiar.

"Uncle?" said Piers, looking at the man.

Piers' uncle spoke, "You are under arrest for treason of the Empire. The punishment is death."


	12. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Uncle, what are you doing?" asked Piers almost incredulously.

"The punishment is death," repeated Piers' uncle in a haunting monotone. Isaac looked out the window into the foyer and saw at least a dozen Lemurians waiting for a reaction from them.

"Uncle, why don't you listen to me? This is not what you wanted! Lemuria is a free land, you weren't with Conservato. You wanted to keep it that way."

Again, he looked Piers in the eye with a dull gaze and repeated, "The punishment is death."

He walked towards Piers, opened his hand, and raised his palm to the sky. Isaac saw a faint blue glow coming from the palm. He knew what Piers' uncle was doing.

"Piers, watch out!" Isaac yelled. Piers jumped out of the way, just avoiding the water jet that his own uncle had sent at him.

"What are you…" said Garet, but was cut off as another water jet was fired at Piers.

Then, Felix raised his own hand and said in a strong voice, "Ground." The spirit of a djinni appeared in front of him and then rushed at Piers' uncle. It surrounded him in a cage and it appeared that he could not move, he was frozen in his spot.

"Alright," said Felix, "that'll hold him for a while. Let's get upstairs, the other Lemurians will realize soon what happened. We have to get back to the ship." The others nodded as they ran for the stairs at the back of the room. They got upstairs and ran out the door, onto the deck on the second floor. Isaac looked down and saw that there were now at least fifty Lemurians waiting at the door.

Almost as if they sensed the adepts arrival, they all turned their head up at exactly the same time to stare at the eight of them with glazed eyes. Isaac felt his breath catch as he realized that it would be near impossible to get out of Lemuria alive. Then, as if coordinated, they all raised their palm at the same time.

"Get down!" yelled Isaac and all eight of them ducked their heads and fell to the cold ground. A huge water jet hit the edge of the deck and blew pieces of stone everywhere. With a crash, the front of the deck fell, exposing the adepts to the crazed Lemurians.

Then, as if a fire was relit inside the adepts, they stood up one by one, knowing that if they did not fight, they would die. Isaac looked around at them, "You know what we have to do. We must stand and fight."

"But these are innocent people," said Mia, "we can't just kill them." Piers nodded his approval.

"Then do not kill them. Immobilize them, injure them. But we must get out of this city alive at all costs. We are the only hope now."

With these inspiring words, all eight of them turned their heads to face the Lemurians, a newfound sense of justice lit inside all of them.

Isaac was the first to attack. He raised his palm, "Grand Gaia." There was a low rumble from underneath the ground, and without warning, rocks flew from the ground hitting the Lemurians, pinning some of them to the ground. Another water jet flew from the uninjured ones. This time, the adepts were not ready. The jet hit Sheba right in the chest, sending her flying into the wall behind them. She grimaced and fell to the ground, unable to get back up.

"Mia, heal her!" yelled Felix, as Ivan now sent lightning raining down on them. After the Spark Plasma's barrage was over, the Lemurians looked up at the adepts with a different expression then the one before. They were smiling. Isaac looked incredulously at them. The adepts had injured and immobilized a dozen of them, they were clearly losing, and yet the Lemurians were smiling. Isaac could see that they were all looking at Ivan. He looked over at Ivan and saw a look of fear on his face. Then, suddenly, all of the Lemurians raised their palms again. There was another low rumble, but this time it was coming from underneath the adepts. The earth underneath them started to shake, a light shake at first, but it quickly intensified. Isaac could not stand up and neither could the others. The shaking rattled him to the very core. Just when his knees started to give out, it ended. Isaac, on his hands and knees, looked around. Ivan and Sheba were lying on the ground, knocked out by the blow. The others were struggling to get up. Felix, however, was already crawling over to Ivan and Sheba.

"I'll….heal them," he said slowly. When he arrived at their lifeless bodies, he raised his palm, whispering, "Revive." First, he revived Ivan, and then Sheba.

"What…happened?" asked Ivan to no one in particular.

"They…are the same as the ones from Tolbi," answered Sheba, still lying on her back, "they know all forms of psynergy. They have…been changed."

"Are you saying," said Isaac, "that they know psynergy from all four elements?"

Sheba looked at him, "Yes."

Isaac felt a sinking feeling in his chest. There was no way they could get out of here alive. Too much had changed. Isaac felt all hope leave him. Weakened by the battle, he fell to the ground, and the world went black.


	13. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The world went black...

The darkness was complete. It was finite, without end. Isaac was falling for what seemed like an eternity. The darkness continued around him and binded him, suffocating him. Isaac was lost within his mind. As he fell, he saw images of a woman lying on the ground, dead, a black sword pierced her heart. These flashes continued. He saw a man with his head in his hands, weeping into them. Isaac recognized the man but could not identify him without seeing his face. Now, a blue-haired man in a grey cloak approached the man on the throne.

"I have done your bidding master," said the man on the throne, head still in his hands.

"Good," said the blue-haired man, "you have done well, Iodem."

"Thank you master."

"You have become a loyal servant to me."

"Thank you master. I live only to serve."

"It is a pity that I no longer have a need for you."

Iodem stood up, looking horrified at the blue-haired man for a fleeting second, but promptly bowed his head.

"I will die for you, master."

The blue-haired man then drew his sword, it gleamed blue and the color on the sword rolled as if waves were captured in the blade itself. He pointed it at Iodem, and with a flash, he struck.

Isaac caught his breath. The darkness was still there, though. Now, however, he could hear distant voices, as if calling him.

"Open your eyes, open your eyes..."

Isaac tried, but found he could not. He was blinded by the surrounding darkness.

"Open your eyes, open your eyes, open your eyes..." said the voice, which Isaac discerned to be a young woman's.

_I can't_.

Suddenly, Isaac could see a light. It was small, very small, almost obsolete. But it began to grow, and as it grew his heart was filled with a new feeling, a feeling of hope. Isaac knew while there was still life, there was still a chance for freedom from the darkness. The light grew and grew until finally...

Isaac opened his eyes.

He saw Jenna over him, looking at him with an unblinking face of concern.

"Isaac?"

Isaac moved his lips, but could not say anything.

"Are you alive?"

Isaac was surprised at this obvious question. He nodded and smiled. Jenna's face changed to pure joy and she threw herself on Isaac, embracing him. He hugged her back as he looked at his surroundings. He was in a bed, in a small room, which appeared to sway back and forth slowly. He was back on the ship, but...

"How?"

Jenna broke the hug to look at him, "What?"

"How...are we on the... ship?" asked Isaac slowly, "The battle...."

"Felix and I were able to cast a summon that stunned most of them," she answered, smiling, "we were able to escape."

"What...happened to me?" asked Isaac, trying to sit up, but a sharp pain in his head made him lie back down with a groan.

"Oh!" cried Jenna, "are you alright?"

"Yeah, my head..."

"You got struck in the head by a rock from that Earthquake. We thought you were in a coma."

Isaac nodded, he knew this must have been it. He rolled away from Jenna, remembering what he saw while he was out.

"What's wrong?" she asked, putting her hand on his side.

"Nothing," said Isaac. He was struck then by an idea, "Jenna?"

"Yes?"

"Can you get Sheba for me? I had a question for her."

"Of course!" she said happily, getting off the bed. As she opened the door to leave the room, she looked back at Isaac, "I love you."

Isaac rolled over to look at her, "I love you too, Jenna." With a smile, she left the room, closing the door. Isaac rolled onto his back to think.

_Was that dream real? Was Alex really going to kill Iodem?_

Just then, Sheba came into the room, concern written on her face.

"Isaac, are you alright?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm feeling better," Isaac answered.

"Why did you call for me?"

"Sheba, when I was out. I had a dream. Or I thought it was a dream. It felt more like some sort of...premonition."

"What was it about?" she asked, concerned. And with that, Isaac told her the whole of his dream. He was able to recall most of the dream, but for some reason, could not remember the setting of the conflict. It was as if it was completely removed from his memory.

"So what do you think?" asked Isaac after he finished telling her the dream.

"I think that, under the circumstances, what you saw was very real."

"Are you saying that..."

"That Alex killed Iodem? I am almost sure of it," she answered, "but what concerns me is how they conversed with each other. You said that Iodem called Alex, 'master'?"

"Yes..." said Isaac, not understanding where Sheba was going.

"Hmmm, I think Alex might have more of a role in this then we had expected." she said, turning away from Isaac.

"Are you saying that Alex is behind all of this?" asked Isaac incredulously.

"I'm not sure. I'm going to talk it over with the others."

"Alright," said Isaac. Sheba made for the door and opened it, but before she left, Isaac was struck with another question.

"By the way, Sheba," he asked stopping her, "where are we going?"

"We're going back to Vale," said Sheba with a grin, "I think it's about time we respond to Tolbi's letter."


	14. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

They spent two more days on the sea. Isaac used the time to recuperate and heal his head wound. With Mia's help, by the end of the trip, his head was perfectly healed and he was able to walk again. Jenna was particularly thankful for this and seemed much more cheery to the others than usual.

"At least she's not as sarcastic with you around," Garet whispered to Isaac on the last night as they watched Jenna happily humming to herself as she washed the dishes.

She turned around to look at them, "Garet, you should have realized by now. You don't know how to whisper."

Isaac laughed and Garet blushed as Jenna gave him a coy grin and returned to her work. Isaac went outside and looked over the rail at the water, which was darkening as the last of the sun's light diminshed over the horizon. Isaac felt as if something horrible was about to happen but brushed off the feeling quickly. He had been having this feeling in the pit of his stomach since they first left on this quest.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked over and saw Felix standing behind him. "Are you alright?" he asked Isaac, not making eye contact with him, staring out to sea.

"Yeah," said Isaac, looking at him.

He looked at Isaac now, "I know what you feel, because it is what I feel as well."

Isaac stared blankly at him, "What do you mean?"

"Something is not right in Angara. I feel in my gut that something terrible has happened." Felix answered, staring out at the pale sea.

Isaac looked out at the sea now, "You know what I felt when I was passed out in Lemuria? I was alone in darkness, binded by my fears and insecurities. I did not feel anything except the panic of a man on the brink of death. I had horrible visions, of the past or future, I cannot say. But what I do know is that hope released me from my bindings and saved me from my fear. I felt in my heart that there was still hope as long as there was life. Now I know that whatever crosses our path, we will be able to fight because as long as there is blood flowing in my body, I have hope." Isaac finished. Felix stared at him for what felt like an eternity, then turned and walked away, without a word. Isaac watched the ripples pass for a few moments, thinking about their conversation before calling it a night and heading off for bed.

The next morning came all too quickly for Isaac, who had not been getting very much sleep since Lemuria. The contents of his 'vision' were repeatedly playing in his mind over and over, so much so that he could not get the rest he so desperately desired. However, as the morning light shone through his window, Isaac knew there was a new hope for their group.

"Land!" yelled a distant voice from the deck. Isaac quickly got out of bed, pulled on a robe, and ran out to see for himself. As he opened the door, the sea air hit his face and his senses were awakened. He could see now, in the morning light, with the sun reflecting off the calm water, why Piers loved the sea. Isaac looked over at the helm and saw Piers, looking off the starboard side of the ship, to the west. Isaac followed his eyes, and in the distance, he saw two mountains, land. Isaac breathed a sigh of relief. He would be happy to get his feet on dry land again. He walked over to Piers.

"Where are we landing?" he asked Piers, who turned to face him, clearly happy at their arrival.

"We'll be landing at Champa, just north of it actually," Piers answered.

"Champa?" asked Isaac, suprised by the choice. Felix had told him of the type of people who lived in Champa.

"Look, I know that there are unfavorable folk in that town, but if we land at the Ankhol Ruins, a mountain will seperate us from them. We should go unnoticed."

Isaac nodded, "Alright, how are we getting to Vale then?"

Piers answered, "There is a passage through the mountains behind the ruins that takes us right to the Lamakan Desert. From there, we head north, follow the path to Bilibin, turn south and head for Vale."

"That sounds like a solid plan, my friend. I just want to stay as far away from Tolbi as possible for the moment. I am not ready to fight yet."

"I don't think any of us are," answered Piers. Isaac left him, heading back down to get changed and suit up.

When he got back, the ship had been docked, and all eight of the adepts were on deck, prepared to start. Ankhol Ruins was visible in the distance. Ivan was deep in conversation with Sheba in a corner, but the others were quietly and solemnly getting ready for the journey ahead. They all looked up as Isaac arrived.

"Alright everyone," said Felix, "let's get started. We need to get through the ruins first to get to the passage. I'll lead the way."

Everyone nodded in agreement and they left the ship, starting the second part of their journey back home.


	15. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

The sun was directly above of them when they arrived at Ankhol Ruins. The ruins were surrounded by dry grass, plains, with no undergrowth to hinder travelers. Behind the ruins, mountains loomed high above any other visible landmark.

"Piers will lead us from here," said Felix, suddenly, "he knows the way"

Piers answered, "From what I remember, there is a hidden exit on the west side of the Ruins that leads to a path into Lamakan."

Felix continued, "We are about a week from Vale right now."

A sudden, obvious idea struck Isaac just then, and he was in disbelief that nobody had mentioned it before this, "Why don't we just Teleport to Vale?"

Everyone looked at Isaac, then turned to Sheba.

She answered, "I had a vision on the ship. It was broken up and hard to decipher. I saw a man on a throne for a second, then a blue-haired man. I saw him speaking to another man, who was cast in shadow. He told the man that he must prevent the adepts from using Teleport. The man in the shadows nodded. Suddenly, I woke up from a noise outside. I saw Ivan standing over me, and he told me that the Teleport Lapis had shattered in the night. There's no way we can use Teleport now."

Isaac was shocked at this news. Clearly he had missed much when he was passed out on the ship. "I had no idea…" he said quietly.

"I don't quite understand how the men in my vision shattered the Lapis, but I'm sure they must have done it," commented Sheba, "but my mind is filled with confusion."

"Now, let us continue," said Felix, "we have lots of ground to cover while the day is still alive."

And so continue they did. As the sun continued to move slowly to the west, they entered the Ruins. Piers navigated the halls of Ankhol more masterfully than Isaac had ever seen. After five years of navigating the Eastern Sea, Piers must have memorized its many locations. Finally, they came to a hallway that was much different from all the others. This one was made of the same brick, but there was no light, no torches on the walls. And Isaac could also feel a draft coming from the end of it, something he hadn't felt for at least a few hours. Piers and the rest of the party moved swiftly to the end, but to most of their surprises, it was what appeared to be a dead end. Piers was determined, though. He called Felix over to him, and pointed to a small crevice in the corner of the wall, just large enough to provide room for Felix's hand.

"Alright, ready?" commanded Piers, "pull!"

Felix then pulled on the wall as if it was a sliding door, and it started to move. Suddenly, light shone through and momentarily blinded the adepts. As their eyes adjusted to the sunset outside, they all hurried forward to help Felix get the secret door open. It was not long before the door was completely open. Ahead of them lay a narrow, dirt path, with mountains on either side. There was just enough room for them to fit one by one down the path. At the end of the path, a red sun prepared to set in the distant west.

They hurried down the path that now lay before them. It appeared to continue forever in a straight line. The rock on either side of the path was smooth in appearance and to the touch, as Isaac discovered. The walls of stone rose high up, so high that the sky was just visible through a narrow crack at the top of the path. It gave Isaac the feeling that the walls were closing in on him, but the feeling left as he focused on moving forward.

"It was cut out," said Piers, from the head of the group, "by adepts many years ago. Probably about the time of the sages."

"It's amazing," commented Ivan, to the agreement of others.

With the sunset in the distance, the minerals in the stone shone and glimmered. As they got farther down the path, paintings started to appear on the rock walls. They depicted many people gathering, with palms raised, burning through stone with intense flame. Isaac marveled at how powerful they must have been to use fire psynergy powerful enough to burn through stone.

The path continued for about an hour. Finally, there was an end in sight, and the desert was in view. The sun had finally disappeared, and the sky turned pale as the night approached. When they arrived at the end of the path, Felix tapped Piers on the shoulder, looked back and signaled for a break. Everyone looked relieved at this and sat down with their backs to the rock.

Felix stood up then to talk, "The desert will be too hot to travel through quickly in the morning. We have to get through it tonight before we stop."

Nobody showed it, but it was quite obvious that this wasn't the most well-received news. Ivan slumped a little bit, but for the most part, the party kept their composure. After about five minutes, they got up, and prepared to continue. As they left the path, the vastness of the desert hit them. Bones lay everywhere, gleaming in the moonlight. Isaac was surprised by the temperature of the sand, it was warm, but it was much cooler than when they last traveled through it six years ago. It was a simple journey for the group, as Isaac assumed the lead, having the most experience with Lamakan. After about three hours, they were out, and they soaked in the mountains once again, as they reached the land surrounding the town of Altin. They found a small cave inside one of the mountains, with enough room for all eight of them.

"I guess we can rest here," said Isaac.

And with that, everyone crowded into the cave and started to unpack their things. Garet and Jenna set a small fire with some firewood they found at the back of the cave from former dwellers. They all warmed up from the cool night outside, but it was not long before they were drowsy. Isaac set up a makeshift bed near the back of the cave, and it was not long before he fell asleep.

He slept without dreams that night, and woke up feeling refreshed for a new day of travel with the golden sun above them.


	16. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

The morning came, and in the bright sunlight of dawn, they awoke, light pouring into the cave, filling all but the deepest recesses. The travel that day was as predictable as the last. They traveled the path they had set for themselves going east. They tried to stay out of sight from the towns of Altin and Xian, by traveling through the forests. Then they began moving north, as the day came to an end. They reached Mogall Forest before it got too dark, and decided not to enter in fear of getting lost. They settled into a grassy area and slept again.

The next day, they awoke early with rainclouds over them. As they traveled through the forest, the rain started to fall on them. The trees helped to cover them for a while but it wasn't long before they were out of the forest. The rain did not stop and they were soaked by the time they reached Kolima. They entered a forest north of the town and decided to wait out the storm. In luck, the storm ended within a few hours. The adepts then turned west and Isaac knew it would not be long before they arrived at Vale. They stopped that day on the shore of a stream a few miles west of Bilibin.

Felix smiled as everyone unpacked. Isaac hadn't seen him genuinely happy for a long time now. Felix turned to Piers, who was taking a few cups out of his bag, and commented, "I had no idea we could travel so fast. We could be in Vale before tomorrow night if Goma Cave allows it."

Piers answered, smiling, "This is good news, for sure."

Isaac smiled at the infectious high spirits in the camp. He took in his surroundings, he had not been able to see the plains in detail for quite a few years. The brown grass spread out across the plain for many miles. There were very few trees, but the ones that were there were huge. Their branches spread out wide and were some of the largest in this part of Angara. The stream they had stopped on was filled with crystal clear water, gurgling in a current heading in the opposite direction of the adepts, towards Kolima Forest. Under different circumstances, thought Isaac, this moment would be perfect. The rainclouds were long gone now and the last of the Sun was disappearing in the west, when Isaac suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. Isaac turned around and saw Sheba standing there, looking worried.

"I need to talk to you," she said to him in a distressed tone.

"Alright," he replied, caught off guard by this. In spite of the spirits of the rest of the adepts, Sheba did not seem to share in it. They walked about a hundred feet away from the camp before she turned to him.

"I'm worried if what we're doing is right, going to Vale. Ever since Kolima my mind has been telling me to turn around. Western Angara is holding something that I don't think we should disturb."

"What...did you see anything?" asked Isaac, disturbed. Sheba was rarely incorrect when it came to her visions but in this case, Isaac could not believe it.

"I didn't. Just a foreboding feeling in my mind," she answered.

"Why are you telling me this?" asked Isaac.

"Because," she answered, "if you haven't noticed, Isaac, you are the emotional leader of this group."

"What? But Felix is clearly..."

"Isaac, Felix may be leading us, but he has no idea what he heads towards. He sees only evil in front of him, and he feels that it must be destroyed, so he pursues it. His emotions, no matter what they are, are always masking his drive to be the hero. Isaac, your emotions are pure. I'm afraid if I told Felix this vision, something bad would come of it."

Isaac was partially shocked by this insight, but part of him knew that this was true of Felix. "So, what do you want me to do?" he asked.

"I understand that you can't stop us traveling to Vale. I am just asking you to be aware of what we might find when we get there."

Isaac could not believe what he was hearing. Vale could be in danger? "Is this Tolbi's doing?" he questioned.

Sheba hung her head, "Question me not, Isaac. I don't know any more than what I've told you."

"I understand," answered Isaac. With that, they headed back to camp. It was dark now, but there was still a small fire waiting for them. Jenna was there.

"What were you doing?" asked Jenna, suspiciously.

"We were talking," answered Isaac, attempting to evade the subject.

"You were 'talking' for twenty minutes," she said with a sly grin.

"She...was worried about the water supply for the rest of the trip," he said, being as convincing as possible.

"Right," she commented sarcastically, "Goodnight Isaac." She then turned over in her makeshift bed.

Isaac felt guilty for not telling her about what they really talked about but knew that she could not know...yet. The time here had been perfect, and he felt he could not disturb it. He fell asleep that night with the somewhat satisfying thought that they would be in Vale tomorrow, for better or for worse.


	17. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Isaac opened his eyes blearily. The sun blinded him, and as it came into focus, he saw that it was still very early. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and looked around. Everyone was sleeping, peacefully in their beds, except for Felix. He was sitting cross-legged facing the west, opposite the sunrise. Isaac got up and silently walked over to him.

"Hey," said Isaac.

Felix turned his head, somewhat surpised to see Isaac standing there, "Hey. You're up early."

"As are you," answered Isaac.

Felix turned his head back to the west, "What do you want, Isaac?"

Sensing the abrasion, Isaac decided to be truthful, "I want to know what's wrong. You urge us to travel faster everyday. You barely ever sleep. And you speak to me as if there's something always bothering you."

Felix sighed, "He didn't deserve to live."

"Alex?"

"He betrayed me and my family five years ago, almost leading to all of our deaths. He deserved death. Why is he back, tormenting us with his presence?"

Isaac looked at Felix, "I don't know why he has returned and I don't know how he is connected to Tolbi but what I do know is that we will exact revenge on him and make sure he pays for what he's done."

Felix nodded, seemingly unconvinced. It was just then, they heard a voice behind them.

"W'time'sit," mumbled a bleary Garet, eyes still closed.

"About time for you to get off your lazy ass," said Felix loudly, smirking.

"Hey, I don't appreciate that!" answered Garet just as loud. Now everyone was groaning and rubbing their eyes.

"I guess it's time to go," laughed Isaac. And after about ten minutes of preparing, it was.

They continued west and after a morning's travel, they had reached Goma Cave. To their surprise, there was a large boulder blocking their entrance. However, with the help of a simple Move psynergy from Garet, it was out of the way. After that, the cave was the same as when Isaac, Garet, Jenna, and Felix passed through eight days ago. As they traveled, Isaac remembered that they were given a fortnight by Tolbi to respond to the letter. Another boulder blocked their path at the southern exit, but they dealt with it the same as they did the first. As they entered the light again, they were greeted by the late afternoon sun, and an orchard of trees. Isaac smiled and they continued on.

As they left Goma Cave, the sprawling plains of Angara continued. Felix turned them west and Isaac knew they were at the final stretch. They were almost there. They followed the road, meaning to stop briefly in Vault to collect news. They reached a brief incline in the plain. Isaac recognized this incline. It was one of the only hills to be seen in Northern Angara. From the top of it, you got a great view of the surrounding land. To the west, you can see Vault, a mile or so ahead. To the south, the keen sighted could spot Kalay many fathoms away. The adepts worked their way up the hill, and it was not long before they arrived at the peak.

Isaac followed his eyes west. The sunset caught his eye first, momentarily blinding him. Around him, he heard the others give a sharp intake of breath.

"Oh my god..." said Jenna, looking to the west. Isaac followed her eyes and saw the most shocking thing he had seen in years. The town of Vault lay ahead of them, but rather than the expected sight of the hotel and the many houses, there were only blackened fragments. The houses appeared to have been burnt to the ground, and the ruins lay fresh on the ground. There was a blackened circle of grass around the town. Vault had become a ruin. None of the adepts could move. They were rooted to the ground in shock.

"Who?" started Garet, his voice cracking.

"We all know who," growled Felix angrily, "Come on. Let's see if there are survivors."

After about a minute, the adepts gathered themselves, still shocked by this monumentous surprise. As they walked towards the ruin, Isaac's mind was filled with questions. Who could have done this? Why? Deep in his heart, though, he knew who did it, and when they approached the ruin and saw a note on a stake, he almost expected what it would say.

Felix ripped the note off the chest-high stake and read it aloud.

_To whom it may concern,_

The town of Vault has been punished by the Tolbi empire for not complying with our demands. Let this be a warning to any town who believes they can remain sovereign.

Iodem

Felix threw the note to the ground in fury, "Damn it!" he yelled to the air. The adepts searched the town, but found no one. But, to their surprise, there were no bodies either. All they found here were remnants of the Vault peoples' former lives. Isaac was now very worried of what they would find when they came to Vale. After looking over the ruins, the adepts gathered outside the town.

"Why did they do this?" asked Jenna, tears in her eyes.

Felix kicked the ground, and replied, "They're trying to send a message to us."

"What will have happened to Vale?" asked Isaac.

"We can only hope that Tolbi kept their word on giving us a fortnight to reply to their letter." answered Felix.

"I fear the worst," commented Sheba, looking to the west.

"There's only one way to find out. Come! We must continue. We can weep and feel remorse when I know that my home is safe!" said Felix strongly. With these words, the adepts continued. It was dark now and traveling was a little slower. Finally, they came to the mountain that separated themselves from Vale. They followed the road and Isaac knew that around the corner loomed Vale, their home. Isaac was so excited to see his home again, he assumed the lead of the group, which Felix gave up freely.

Isaac was convinced that when he turned the corner and saw Vale, it would be lit up and inviting the adepts home.

_It will be good to get a rest._

Finally, the time came. They turned the corner in the road and turned north towards Vale. Isaac turned his eyes to the north and saw his home for the first time in a week.

His eyes were greeted by a horrendous sight.

Vale was on fire…


	18. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Alex walked into the throne room with a regal step that came with being the leader of the largest empire in Weyard's history. He was wearing a white robe that shone light blue when the windows revealed the sun to the room. Alex knew that with the empire's power at his whim, he was the most powerful man in all of Weyard, and his appearance reflected it. The throne room was empty but for one man sitting alone, cross-legged in the shadows. The man was clearly very old, with a white beard that helped to partially mask a care-worn face that had seen thousands of years go by. Alex knew this man was special in more ways than just his age, though. The man appeared to have an aura surrounding him, filling the room with strong psychic energy. When Alex approached him, he immediately felt the pressure on his mind to be opened. Alex was ready for this, and closed his mind to the old man. He grimaced at the thought of a weaker adept, an unprepared adept, being subjected to this man's incredible Mind Read ability.

This was not the only Jupiter psynergy this man possessed. No, certainly not. His name was Maskah, most powerful of all wind adepts. His life was a long story, to be sure, as he had been born during the time of the Sages. It was a story filled with triumph and failure. The man himself is but a legend now in Hesperia, but this was true since the day he was born.

Maskah was born to a single mother in Shaman Village. His father had died before he was born in what his mother called a sailing accident. From the day he was born, he was special. There was an aura of psynergy surrounding him that was apparent to any who came too close to him. The psynergy did not take form until later in his life, but the pressure on the mind was strong enough to be noticable. His mother took him to Shaman Village's healer to investigate this abnormality. The healer was surprised by Maskah's aura and great psynergetic ability. The healer told her that eighty years before, another baby was born with this aura, though surprisingly, it was significantly less. That baby grew up to be Totopa, one of the most powerful wind adepts in Weyard, and become the leader of Shaman Village. He was also one of the eight Sages. The healer congratulated her and told her with confidence that Maskah would grow up to be one of the most powerful adepts they had ever seen.

And so, Maskah grew up. And as he did, his competitive spirit became apparent. He would always challenge the other children to various tasks. Whether it was a race around the village, or which child could create the largest Whirlwind, it was always Maskah who won. Eventually, the other children got tired of losing to him and left him out of their challenges. And so Maskah became a loner, an outcast. He was seen as different by all the villagers and was rarely talked to. His mother continued to love him though, and nurtured him as he grew older. When Maskah was sixteen, his mother took him to Trial Road and showed him the statues of the great wind adepts who came before them. The minute that Maskah saw Trial Road, he knew that this was his chance to show everyone how strong he really was.

As a village rule, a man must have had to be twenty-five to challenge the leader on Trial Road. Also, as the leader was a Sage, there was an opportunity for Maskah to become one himself. Totopa, the leader of Shaman Village, was feared by the people because of his tremendous ability and was rarely challenged. There had not been a race at Trial Road for many years.

Maskah worked hard from that day on to hone his natural ability and achieve greatness. He would meditate in the Shaman Village Cave, alone, and practice his psynergy and swordsplay. He continued like this for nine years until finally his twenty-fifth birthday arrived. Maskah had been waiting his whole life for a chance to prove his worth and gain power. He immediately challenged Totopa to a race at Trial Road. Totopa was surprised by this challenge, but accepted it, wanting to give Maskah his chance at the village's leadership. Totopa was feared for his power but was a just and wise man in nature, worthy of his title as a Sage. He saw that Maskah was certainly strong enough to scale Trial Road, but was interested in how he would handle his almost power-hungry competitiveness.

At noon that day, the villagers all traveled to Trial Road and watched Maskah pass the Whirlwind test. Totopa and Maskah lined up under the statues with Maskah in the east lane. And then, they began. Maskah zoomed through the first floor easily.

_Too easily._

The second floor was just as easy.

_This is Trial Road?_

He became angry as he continued and found the next tasks just as easy, even the ones that required other forms of psynergy. He reached the clean air and the noon sun quickly, and scaled the cliff, arriving at the summit alone. He was furious. Nine years of training for this? It was simple! He could have done this as a child!

Ten minutes passed as Maskah worked himself into a rage. Finally, Totopa arrived at the summit and, without letting him say a word, Maskah attacked. He relentlessy attacked the leader with sword cuts, and followed quickly with a Twister and a Spark Plasma simultaneously. Totopa could not believe it. He was being defeated by a younger man, a man with impossible strength and psynergetic ability. Totopa was able to withstand some of the attacks but could not defend all of them, and he felt his life force leaving him slowly. In a final effort, Totopa charged Maskah with his sword. It began to glow with a wind aura as he ran faster. It was becoming in tune with his psynergy, he was about to use his ultimate attack. But before he struck Maskah, the light around them faded, and darkness surrounded them, stopping Totopa in his tracks. He looked at Maskah. The young man was clearly infuriated, and as Totopa stared at him, Maskah sneered at him. The darkness binded Totopa where he stood so that he could not move. He heard thunder coming from the dark clouds above them. Suddenly, lightning sparked from the sky, and fell to the ground, striking Totopa repeatedly. The shock and pure strength of the attack crippled him and he fell to his knees. The last thing he remembered seeing was Maskah looking down, a disgusted look on his face.

Maskah looked down at Totopa.

_Pathetic. This is what it takes to be a Sage? The strong should not falter like this._

He paused then, rage still coursing through his body.

_Life is meaningless for him now, this is my time. My time to shine!_

Maskah unsheathed his sword and mercilessly stabbed Totopa in the heart. The Sage slumped to the ground, eyes closed. He was dead.

_He deserved this. He deserved death for being so weak. I will not stand for inferiority._

And so he left Totopa's body there sprawled on the mountaintop and left, heading for the bottom. All of the people would be at the House of the Leader for a ceremonial passing of the headress that symbolized a new village leader.

But Maskah had no such intention of becoming the Shaman Village leader. He had greater aspirations. He left Shaman Village to journey to Sol Sanctum where he would become a Sage.

Immediately after leaving Shaman Village, he teleported to Vale and walked to Sol Sanctum. In these days, Alchemy had not yet been sealed away, but the heart of man had become corrupt with the promise of riches. It was only a matter of time before the Sages would make the decision to seal away the power. The Sages' home was in Sol Sanctum. This is where they would hold counsel on the decisions plaguing Weyard. Also, five of the eight (now seven) Sages had homes in Vale.

Maskah knew where to go, he had been told the legends of the Sages. Aspiring adepts had to travel to Sol Sanctum and acquire a unanimous vote from the Sages to join their league. He arrived at the foot of the mountain. He looked up at the marvelous sight as lights from all four lighthouses came together to form one tremendous light. Maskah squinted and covered his eyes as he stood astounded at the sight. But his drive brought him back to reality and he entered the Sanctum.

He easily navigated the corriders and rooms and it was not long before he came to the Luna Room, the Room of Counsel. An eerie blue light lit the room. There was a round table made of marble, and around it sat seven men, their faces cast in shadow. The Sages did not reveal themselves to aspiring adepts until they accepted the adept. Maskah could not decipher who they were, but he saw that they were all very old.

_Old and weak._

"We have forseen your arrival," said one of the Sages, with a deep voice.

"I am..." started Maskah.

"We know who you are and your purpose in coming here, Maskah of Shaman Village." said the Sage in an almost angry tone.

Maskah did not speak, but waited for them to speak, to accept him.

"Tell me, why did you kill Totopa?" asked the deep-voiced man.

Maskah was not fazed by the question, "I will not tolerate his weakness. He was too easily defeated, and under my rule, he did not deserve life."

"Your arrogance surprises me. How did you think that we could accept you as one of us when you have just murdered one of our brethren?"

"You also should not tolerate such insignificant strength! You should be more wise and choose stronger adepts to become Sages."

One of the Sages stood up sharply, "Do not question our decisions! He was a Sage because he was wise and compassionate towards others! He knew how to handle his power, unlike you."

"I have heard enough," said the deep-voiced Sage, "you will not become a Sage today, and not ever."

Maskah could not believe what he was hearing. He looked around at all of them, "Have you no judgement of strength? I could defeat all of you if it was my whim! I defeated one, I could defeat you all. You have no power against me. Have you no..."

But he was cut off. His wrists suddenly became bound and he was flung to the wall behind him. He tried to move but was binded to the wall by both wrists and ankles.

"How dare you kill one of our sacred brothers and then come here to threaten us," said the deep-voiced man in a dangerous whisper, "You will serve punishment in the depths of the Earth, never to be released until the seal is destroyed."

"The...seal?" asked a pained Maskah.

"Tonight, we will be sealing away the power of Alchemy. For the good of mankind. But you, you will never see a world without Alchemy. You will never see the light of day!"

And with that, the Sage took out a sword and butted Maskah in the head with the handle, knocking him out.

Maskah awoke after what felt like forever. He opened his eyes, but found that it was just as dark as when his eyes were shut. Blindly in the dark, he felt out his surroundings. He was in a large, bare room he discovered, as he felt the surrounding walls. The floor was made of sand, but the walls and ceiling were brick. He was clearly underground. On the far wall, he found a door, but it had no handle and was sealed shut. He felt out markings on the door and deciphered that there was a sun imprinted on the door. He reached for his sword to try to wedge it open but found it was not on his belt. It was gone. So, he resorted to psynergy. He tried to blow the door open with a strong Twister but that did not work. He tried to splinter the metal with Plasma but it just rebounded off, narrowly missing Maskah. He tried all the psynergy he knew but nothing budged or even scratched the door.

In a last effort, he threw himself against the door, but only injured his shoulder as he fell to the floor. He was trapped, trapped in the darkness.

Maskah lay on the ground, without tears, for hours thinking about what had just transpired. Still, he felt no remorse for what he had done. He only felt anger at the Sages for doing this to him.

For two days, he lay there feeling furious at what the Sages had done to him. He was hungry and cold, but for some strange reason he didn't feel any weaker. He decided to work on honing his psynergy.

Maskah vowed that when the seal was released, if that were ever to happen, he would show the world what strength really was.

And so, days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months, and months turned to years. Maskah trained relentlessly, he needed no sustanance. It became obsessive after two years. He could not stop. He honed his Mind Read ability to be part of his aura and persona. He no longer had to focus to use that psynergy. But when he did focus on the ability, he taught himself the ability to take control of another mind.

He became stronger than any other adept, but he also became older. However, even after a hundred years passed, he felt no yearning for death and his body allowed him to continue training.

Thousands of years passed and Maskah still lived. His psynergy had peaked and he lived his life half-awake, half-asleep in the darkness, without thought.

Then, the day came. Maskah was sitting in a corner when there was a faint glow from the sun on the door. Maskah was blinded by this glow and closed his eyes, willing the light to leave.

But, the light did not leave. It grew stronger and soon, it filled the room with light. Then, the door opened and the shadow of a man appeared. Maskah could not open his eyes, the light would not allow it. The man at the door did not move, and Maskah slowly adjusted his eyes, even after thousands of years without light. Finally, Maskah opened his eyes a sliver, just to see his surroundings.

There was a blue-haired man at the door, shock written on his face.


	19. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

"No."

There were a thousand reasons why this tragedy should not have happened. But there it was, before their very eyes. Vale, their home, and the home of their families, alit with flames.

They walked forward to see the extent of the fire. It was disastrous. All the houses and shops in the plaza that had been rebuilt only five years ago had been burnt down, the smoldering ruins still lit in the fresh flame. Up the hill, the fire was spreading, and they could see that the straw rooftops had caught fire, the flame tips licking the dark sky above them. Nothing was left undamaged, it seemed as if everything had caught fire. The town they had rebuilt so eagerly only five years ago was gone.

Isaac was in a state of disbelief. The town he had grown up in. The town he had learned his psynergy in. The town he had left behind. The town he had helped rebuild. Gone. It had not sunk in. It could not sink in. He looked at the others and saw the fire dancing in their eyes as they watched in horror as Vale burned. There was nothing they could do now. Vale was too long gone.

In front of the town, there was a note nailed to a stake in the ground. The note had an evil familiarity of one they had just seen in Vault. Isaac did not have to read it to know who it was from. He just stared at it, as the others came to the same conclusion.

Felix charged forward, ripped the note from the stake, and without reading it, ripped it into pieces.

"Damn it!" he yelled angrily into the night, falling to his knees, and putting his face into his hands. He began to weep. And as he did, everyone else wept as well. The silent tears fell for what felt like hours as they watched the flames destroy their home. It wasn't long before the fire went out, it's drive for fuel quenched. The smoke remained, rising off of every building they had grown up with.

Finally, the tears stopped. And as they did, a glimmer of hope, if only slight, came to them from the east as the sun showed its face over the horizon. With the light, the full extent of the damage was unmasked. The town was clearly beyond repair, but without words, the adepts resolved to investigate the ruins.

They entered what used to be the plaza and were greeted by the smell of burnt straw. They searched the ruins of the buildings by dousing the small flames and freezing the ruins so they could search through them with their bare hands. Once again, though, just like it had been in Vault, there were no bodies. They searched the rest of the town diligently, but still, they found no bodies. The adepts regrouped in the town plaza.

"Well, I suppose this pridicament leaves us with one of two options. One, the bodies of the...dead villagers," Felix stuttered, "have been taken by the soldiers. Or, two, they are still alive and have been kidnapped to who knows where."

"Dead or alive, I want the bodies of my family..." said Isaac.

"Grant..." murmured Jenna.

Isaac continued, "I think it's about time we face Tolbi head on."

"What about the Western Sea?" asked Piers, "We may still find help there."

"If we found no help in the Eastern Sea, what makes you think we will find help in the west?" answered Isaac.

"I agree with Isaac," said Felix, "it's time we face our destiny and attack Tolbi. They've taken our families and held all of Weyard in captive. We have to fight back."

Isaac looked at Felix in approval, then around at the others. They all looked back at him, resolution written on their faces, hiding the pain at the loss they had just received.

Then Isaac remembered something, something important, one person in their party may have seen this tragedy before it happened, one person may understand what they must do... "Sheba?" he said as he looked around the group, "What did you see in your vision at Bilibin?"

It was then that he noticed a glaring problem. Sheba was not with the other adepts. She wasn't even in the plaza.

"Sheba?" exclaimed Felix, as he too noticed her disappearance.

The adepts looked around, expecting to see her nearby. It was Isaac who saw her first, and the sight shocked him.

"There..." he murmured.

Sheba was on the second plateau of Vale. It was higher than any other part of the town, up two flights of stone steps. She was halfway off the edge of the plateau, inches from plummeting hundreds of feet to the plaza. But it was not the height that shocked Isaac. Her arms were outstreched, hands pointing to the new day above them and she was looking straight at them, her eyes rolled back in her head.

Then she spoke in a booming, deep voice, an out of body voice that was definitely not her own. It spoke slowly but in a voice for all to here.

"Sanctity lies in the west. Holiness lies in the west. Piety lies in the west. Do not seek death in the south. Do not seek the snare of the enemy. Do not seek death."

Then Sheba's arms came down, and her eyes returned to normal, all occult gone. She slumped and teetered over the edge, and fell. Felix ran forward and performed a Move psynergy just in time to break her fall with a nearby unburnt bush.

"Sheba!" cried Isaac, rushing forward.

"I think she's fine," said Felix, examining her, "Sheba, are you hurt?"

Sheba opened her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair, "I...I'm fine." she said quietly.

"What happened?" asked Isaac.

"I…I had a…premonition. But this one was different…stronger than the others. The voice in my head did not only advise me, but actually controlled my actions. It told me to draw attention to myself and forced me onto the edge of the plateau. I...don't remember what happened next. All I know is that the voice told me to travel to Shaman Village. I think that's what I told you."

"As far as I know, it was," answered Felix, "Can you stand?"

"Yes," answered Sheba, slowly standing up, "Yes. I'm unhurt."

"That's good," said Felix, turning to the others, "Well, do we trust this vision and travel to Shaman Village?"

"Can't we have some time to grieve," spoke up Garet, sounding exhausted, "We have just lost our home!"

"I'm sorry, but we just can't stop now," replied Felix mercifully, "who knows what they will do with the bodies of our families. If they are dead, I want to give them a proper burial."

"I agree," said Jenna quietly.

"Well, Sheba's visions have never lead us amiss," pronounced Isaac, adrenaline flowing through him at the thought of his lost son, "I say we go to Shaman Village and see what lies there."

Ivan piped in, "If it's not already taken by Tolbi, we will get a hero's welcome."

"So it's settled then. We will travel to Shaman Village as soon as possible," declared Felix, "We will need to travel in secrecy. Piers, we will need to Cloak the ship."

"It will be done," answered Piers.

Isaac, with a new rising feeling in his heart, spoke, "Well, let's get started then."

~

Many thousands of miles away in the west, a ghost town lay in the center of Hesperia. Houses and tents had crumpled to the ground, dust still rising in the hot, afternoon sun, seeking an escape. Nothing remained undestroyed. But there were no soldiers, no armies, admiring their handiwork. Only one man stood in the center of the town, staring out to the east, awaiting his enemy.

Shaman Village had been taken, and Maskah awaited the adepts.


	20. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Sitting in his throne room again, Alex's mind began to wander to his past. He would never forget the years he had spent before this beautiful age. After surviving the collapse of Mt. Aleph, he had wandered aimlessly. For three years he would wander this strange world, trying to invent some way to exact his revenge. Until two years ago, when his luck finally changed…

"Just keep walking..."

He repeated it to himself again, as he had over the last three years. He had been walking this whole time, three years, repeating those three words, willing himself to go on. Walking helped Alex think, and he had been thinking for a long time. Most of the time he wandered the paths of Weyard aimlessly, mumbling to himself, spiting and cursing the adepts that had ruined his life. He would sail the waters with destinations in mind, but his drive for vengeance turned to insanity, and he would dock in the wrong cities, and walk again. He would stare at his feet, aimlessly searching his mind for a plan to exact revenge. It had been three years, three long years since he had broken out of the ruins at Sol Sanctum, and nothing had come of it. Then, the fateful day came, when his wandering led him to the town of Contigo.

He looked up at the sight ahead of him, his eyes glazed. He recognized this place…

"Contigo..." he mumbled to himself, not caring if he was heard, "Perhaps...Anemos...will provide answers."

And so, he entered the town, unnoticed. To villagers, he appeared only to be a deadbeat traveler. His appearance had become scruffy, dirt clinging to his hair, dulling the blue color. He appeared to be a loner, searching for a shelter for the evening. They did not suspect his real plans.

And so, Alex walked to the Sanctum. Priests were abound in this place. Some praying, others guarding the doors, waiting for travelers. Alex walked up to the priest guarding the center door and attempted to open it. The priest reached out and grabbed Alex's hand before it could get to the handle.

"What is it you want with our Sanctum?" asked the priest, suspiciously.

Alex, forseeing this barrier, replied, "Only...to give prayer. I...have lost my...wife recently. I just wish to mourn my loss."

The priest looked Alex up and down for a second, his face moved with pity. He had clearly bought the story, "Well we don't keep the prayerful off our doorstep. You may enter."

The priest removed his hand, allowing Alex entrance.

"Thank you father," he replied, keeping his eyes averted.

He pushed open the door and was greeted by the musky smell of the ancient Sanctum.

"It is more like a dungeon than a sanctum," Alex said to himself, out of hearing range of the priest. The door closed behind him, and he walked down the front hallway. It was not long, though, before he came across an unforseen barrier. Two stone pillars stood in his path.

"But of course, the priest would not let me into Anemos so easily," commented Alex, speaking to no one but himself. He stood there for a few moments, summoning up the proper strength.

He closed his eyes and held his palm to the ceiling, "Stream." A jet of water streaked from Alex's hand, and with the force of a broken dam, it slammed into the stone pillars, crumbling them instantly. Alex smiled at his handiwork, carefully stepped over the shards of rock, and continued into the large lobby of Anemos. All around him, lay the four islands, each one representing an element. Small tiles on each of them. At the back of the room stood a door. Alex walked straight up to the door, knowing full well he had no djinni to open it. The door was made of the strongest metal and had the imprint of a sun cast into it. Alex recognized it as the old symbol for the Golden Sun, with four rays around the orb representing the four elements, and their unity.

To the left of the door there was a plaque with a message upon it. The message was in the new language, and Alex read it aloud, even though he already knew what it said.

_If you deem yourself worthy  
Light the tiles of this room with the power of the elementals  
And let the darkness of Anemos be your reward_

Above the door there was another message. This message, however, was in the elder language of Anemos, used thousands of years ago. The Sages invented this language, and it was adapted by the rest of Weyard. It was forgotten, though, and two hundred years ago, a new language replaced it. Alex had not seen this message before. As far as he knew, it had not been there the last time he had been here, several years before.

The symbols were faded into the stone and it was hard to make out. Alex was learned in the old language, as precious few were. Only the oldest living villagers of Weyard now knew the language. Alex had learned it in Lemuria, where it was still used often.

Alex slowly deciphered the message and read it aloud to the empty room

_If you deem yourself worthy  
In the new age of Alchemy  
Place your palm on our Golden Sun  
and let yourself testify  
The center of the world awaits_

Alex was amazed. 'In the new age of Alchemy'. He had not seen this message before because it had not existed before! The seal had been destroyed, the new age of Alchemy begun, and this door held the key to uncharted worlds! Alex could not miss such an opportunity at discovery. He held out his palm and slowly placed it on the imprint of the Sun.

Immediately, the Sun turned yellow and Alex felt immense strength flowing through him. It felt as if a new life had been given to him. The feeling was of joy and Alex almost laughed at the energy flowing through his veins. Then, the Sun darkened in color. From yellow to orange, and from orange to red. The red Sun made the metal burning hot, and all joy left Alex as his hand started to burn, smoke coming off the Sun from his burning flesh. He tried to remove his hand from the imprint but found that he could not. The Sun began to drain his energy and Alex felt all his strength leave him. It was as if his very life force was being pulled out of him by the imprint. Pain began to take over, he fell to his knees, burning hand glued to the door. But, just as Alex was about to black out and give in to the pain, the Sun brightened to yellow again and the pain was gone. His energy returned to him, and he stood up slowly. He tried again to remove his hand from the imprint and this time it came off with a rip as his flesh was left behind. Alex looked at his hand. It was severely burned. His palm and fingertips had lost all their skin and were bleeding, the skin still sticking to the yellow imprint on the door. Alex ripped a piece of clothing from his shirt and wrapped his hand to stop the bleeding.

"All in the name of discovery," said Alex to himself, smiling painfully.

Then, with a creak, the door slowly opened, revealing a long, dark staircase leading down for what seemed like forever.

Alex grinned with the happiness that came with this new adventure. He began to walk down the stairs. They were made of stone and after about a hundred steps, it was so dark that his footsteps seemed louder than ever. The stairs continued on and on, but Alex continued to walk down them, his mind excited with the prospect of what he would find at the bottom.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, a bright light appeared below him. A torch was lit at the bottom of the stairs. He ran down the remaining stairs and at the bottom was greeted by another door, identical to the last, with the imprint of the Golden Sun in the center. Once again, there was a message above the door. The two torches on the wall illuminated the old symbols.

_You have passed the test  
And plunged deep into the soul of Weyard  
Fear not the contents of this room  
For they contain prophecies of the future  
and the past  
Set Free_

Alex eagerly touched his opposite palm to the imprint, his excitement reaching its peak. This time, there was no test of strength. The imprint shone yellow, and the door slowly swung open as Alex removed his palm.

The light from the torches filled the room before him. It was a large, plain room with stone on all four walls and the ceiling. The floor was made of dirt.

Alex looked around the room slowly, expecting to see a scroll of sorts containing the 'prophecies'. However, the room was quite empty but for one detail.

Alex could not believe what he saw when his eyes set on the corner of the room. It could not be real.

In the corner of the room sat Maskah, the man who's legend was that of the 'banished prophecy' and the man who would turn the tides of Alex's search for revenge.


	21. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

They were alone in his 'office'. His office was really a cave he had come across while wandering the forests of Atteka. It was about two hours walk from Contigo, secluded from the rest of civilization. The cave was underground, the staircase hidden in the deepest, darkest forest. No one would find them here. No one would dare to come.

Alex raised his palm lazily and removed the seal from Maskah's mouth. He had brought Maskah here from his prison beneath Anemos. He wanted to know so many things about this man sitting across from him in this dark, dark place. Maskah gasped for air as he regained the use of his mouth. He looked at Alex, afraid. Thousands of years in solitude had made him lose his edge. He lived in fear, knowing he would be down in Anemos forever. Then, this blue-haired man comes and whisks him away, dragging him to this dark place. He did like the darkness, though, he had become accustomed to it, it was one with his spirit. He hated the light and preferred this cave to the surface.

Alex shuffled into a sitting position and looked Maskah in the eyes for a few seconds before speaking, "Who are you?" he demanded in a low, firm tone.

"I...I am...My name is Maskah," he answered quietly in a raspy voice.

Alex knew this already of course. He knew all about Maskah's 'legacy'. He had defeated one of the Sages on top of Trial Road and murdered him. He then was locked away by the Sages, in a secret location that was known only to those of the sacred brethren. The same night that Maskah was exiled, the Sages created the seal on Alchemy. They locked away the power into four elemental stars and hid them deep inside Sol Sanctum. No one in Shaman Village saw Maskah after that day and it was presumed that he was dead, his body rotting in some sort of cell far away. And so, he was forgotten, but his story was not. The story of the murder of Totopa by an impossibly strong adept lived in Weyard for hundreds of years. But, eventually, the story was forgotten as well, and the legend of Maskah was a story known only to the oldest tribe members of Shaman Village. Alex, early in his life, had heard this story while traveling and had never forgotten it. And now, here he was, face to face with the 'banished prophecy'.

Maskah was confused. Why was this man remaining silent? Only one question to be asked? Why am I here? He realized that this man was clearly powerful, having dragged him all the way out to this forest cave.

It was in that moment that Maskah remembered who he was. Not his identity, that had always been with him, but his power. He rememered how hard he had trained for all those years long ago, just to get his chance at revenge. Who was this man to try to drag him on the ground to this place and question him? This man may be strong, but there was certainly no adept as strong as himself. And so, Maskah became the interrogator.

"And who are you?" he asked with confidence.

Alex looked up, surprised. He looked into Maskah's eyes. Alex smiled. There was no more fear there.

_So he is not a weak old man after all. Good._

"My name is Alex," he answered firmly.

Maskah tried to remember. Alex. He had never heard a name like that before. He was clearly from somewhere that Maskah had never been. No matter. Maskah continued to question him.

"Alex. Why did you free me?"

Alex was getting slightly frustrated now. He was losing control of this man. Nevertheless, he answered Maskah's question.

_He will learn to respect me._

"I freed you because I knew that we would be able to work together. Work together towards a common goal."

Maskah let out a raspy laugh, "I answer to no one, Alex. Surely you realize that I am much stronger than yourself."

Now, Alex was furious. Maskah needed to be taught a lesson in respect. Alex ground his teeth together and muttered, "I wouldn't bet on that."

He stood up quickly, glaring at Maskah. He directed his palm at the insolent man in front of him.

"Freeze Prism," he declared, in a commanding tone that Maskah had not heard him use before. Immediately, huge chunks of ice began falling towards Maskah. The ice rained down all around him, but it did not touch him.

The ice could not hit him, it was as if this aura around him guarded him from psynergy.

_What? Impossible! No mortal man can train himself to prevent Alchemy's effects!_

Clearly he had misjudged this old man, but he could not stop now.

_If you will not succumb to my psynergy than you will learn respect from my blade!_

Alex unsheathed his sword. It was a dull grey in the cave, but in the sunlight it would have shone as blue as the ocean. He rushed at Maskah, ready to put all his strength into one hit.

Maskah was unimpressed. After Alex failed to strike him with weak psynergy, he resorted to the worst possible tactic. Brute strength. Maskah smirked. Alex would not live long with that attitude.

Alex was getting closer. Maskah would not be able to block his sword. He was unarmed, had no sword, no armour. He moved into range for a strike and put all his strength into a cut to the neck. But, just as the sword was about to strike him, as it was inches away from his neck, it stopped. Maskah had raised his palm, a haze emitting from it. The haze had coated his neck and Alex's sword could not break through. Alex backed up, realizing the mistake he had made in challenging such a formidable opponent. There was no way he could beat Maskah, it was impossible.

It was time. It was time for Maskah to be the one on the offensive. He could see the fear in Alex's eyes. He had become mortal. He now feared death.

_It is more imminent than you believe._

Alex had backed himself against the wall, he knew and feared the upcoming attack.

Maskah raised his palm, the light of Jupiter emitting from it and filling the room with a hazy light.

_It is time to die, Alex._

"Storm Surge," he declared, his palms outstretched to the heavens, his head thrown back as the effects of his attack began.

First, Alex heard the thunder. It sounded far off, as if coming from a distance. But as he listened, he heard the thunder coming closer, becoming louder and louder. Soon it was a deafening roar, the claps exploding in his ears, filling ever inch of his being with dread at what would come next. Then, it began. With a tremendous crash that shook the earth itself, a huge lightning strike hit Alex in the chest. Alex lost his breath, the force of the attack knocking him unconscious. As the thunder faded away and the attack ended, Alex slumped to the floor. He kneeled there, eyes white with shock. The light had blinded him. The sound had deafened him. The strike had shaken the very core of his being. And now he was dying.


	22. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Alex hit the cold ground with a thump and felt all life leave him with the tremendous pain now coursing through his body.

Darkness shrouded his eyes and the cave around him was gone. He began to see flashes of his past. His birth and humble beginnings. Guarding the Mercury Lighthouse with his first love, Mia.

_I never told her..._

The day he left Imil. The day he met Saturos and Menardi for the first time. The day he watched them die. The night...that fateful night when he climbed Mt. Aleph. The Wise One. The darkness was absolute now and the flashes became slower and more clear. The Wise One telling him that Isaac had stolen his power.

_Isaac...._

Questions filled Alex's mind. Would he have fallen from Mt. Aleph if the power of Alchemy had been his? Would he have pointlessly wandered Weyard day after day if the power of Alchemy was his? Would he be dying right now if Isaac had not stolen his power?

Alex was filled with rage now. They had stolen the Golden Sun from him. They had left him with nothing. Would he die now without having a chance to show his revenge? It was not too late. He was not dead yet. He would live and exact his vengeance on every adept that had wronged him. And they would die, not him.

Maskah's hands came down, the attack was over. It had worked. Alex's lifeless body was on the ground, exhausted of all its energy.

_Incredible,_ _I can kill a man without even exerting excessive energy._

It would be so easy to become all he could and wanted to be. He would show Weyard exactly why they should fear Maskah. He looked down at Alex.

_Pathetic. The weak do not deserve life. _

Alex's eyes were still open, their emotions screaming fear and schock. His hands were still loosely gripped around his sword.__

You fought valiantly young man, buy your death was inevitable.

But just as he thought that, something completely unexpected happened. Alex's body twitched with a sign of life.

Maskah stared at him in shock.

_Is he not dead?_

Then, Alex's hands tightened as the grip on his sword was strengthened. He was not dead. Something was keeping him off of the brink. Finally, he blinked.

Alex blinked. There was no more darkness, but he was in a cave. He struggled to his knees and looked around. There, in front of him, was Maskah. Alex smirked.

_I am alive._

Life sprung back into every vein in his body as the adrenaline of what had just transpired filled him. He took in his surroundings, then, remembering Maskah's attack, looked down at his chest. The shirt he had been wearing had burnt off, its torn remains strewn across the cave. Where the lightning had struck him, there was burnt flesh smoldering, fresh from the attack. Surely, this would have killed any other man.

_So why am I alive?_

Then, he knew it. It was spite that had kept him alive. His desire for vengeance on the adepts that had wronged him was the reason he was still breathing. And yet, he felt strange now. Different. There was an emotional hole inside him that had not been there before the attack. He found that the only thing he could think about...was vengeance. He couldn't comprehend his past, could not remember anything before digging himself out of the ruins of Mt. Aleph. Vengeance was one with Alex now. He would not quit until it was exacted. And the first thing to do, would be to kill this insolent man in front of him.

Alex stood up, not struggling anymore, energy and adrenaline flowing through him. He looked at Maskah. He was clearly still surprised by the mere fact that Alex was still alive after the Storm Surge attack. Alex knew that now, with the element of surprise on his side, was the time to attack.

_But what can I do?_

Maskah was seemingly invincible. Psynergy did not touch him and neither did swords of any kind.

_But it is my destiny to defeat him._

This was only a small hurdle in his quest to defeat Isaac and the other adepts, he just knew it.

Alex decided to look inside himself for power. Perhaps something he had not thought of would come to mind. But, when he searched his mind, all he found in it was darkness. There was no thought, no memory, only darkness. And the darkness of vengeance filled every crevice of his mind.

_How can I lose to this man?_ _If I had the power that I was destined to have this would all be too easy!_

As the vision of Isaac entered his mind, Alex was filled with a cold fury. The power should be his! He had planned out Felix's whole quest so that when the Mars Lighthouse was lit, he would be atop Mt. Aleph and be the recipient of all of Alchemy's powers. But instead, the power was given to an insolent child who had no idea how to master it. Alex screamed in his fury. The anger filled every inch of him and without thinking, he raised his palm...

In that moment, he thought nothing, the only vision in his mind was that of Isaac's dead body, sprawled on a tile floor. Alex did not realize he was speaking and did not realize he was using psynergy. When Alex spoke, it was in a haunting, monotonous voice:

_Summon the shadows,  
They lie in fate  
They lie in doom  
Summon the Shadows._

Maskah could not believe what he was seeing. Alex had raised his palm and was speaking in verses Maskah had never heard before. However, as he finished, Maskah's skepticism turned to fear as in the center of Alex's palm, there appeared a black hole. He had never seen psynergy like this. Then, out of nowhere, Maskah fell to the ground, his throat compressing so he could not breathe. He lay on the ground, twitching madly, his lungs begging for air that they could not receive. He struggled but knew there was no hope. His lungs gave away from lack of air, and he blacked out.

Alex lowered his palm and looked at Maskah. He was there, sprawled before him on the ground. He walked up to the old man to see what he had done. Alex was not sure what had just transpired, he could not remember anything and when he tried, a vision of Isaac's dead body filled his mind again. Clearly he had found a way to harm Maskah. Alex leaned over the man and grabbed his wrist, checking the pulse. There was one. He was not dead!

Alex considered killing him right there, but an idea struck him just then. Perhaps, Maskah was not just a step he needed to take in his plan, perhaps Maskah could be a part of it. Maskah's power could be a strong asset if Alex could harness it to his will.

_It will not be too difficult,_ _I have clearly demonstrated my power. He will respect me and fear me._

Alex put his hand on Maskah's forehead. He cast a healing psynergy silently, restoring Maskah's lungs. Maskah's eyes shot open as his chest rose dramatically. He was conscious once again. Immediately, Alex cast a Sleep psynergy on him. He did not want any conflict while thinking of what to do next. Maskah closed his eyes peacefully again, his head rolling to the left, deep in slumber.

Alex walked over to the darkest corner of the cave, and exhaustedly sat down on the dirt floor, deciding how his revenge would play out now that he had a tremendous force working for him.

Hours went by, feeling like days to the tired Alex, without a plan.

_What can I do to defeat them?_

But it was not hopeless. It was then in a brilliant flash of genius, that his plan came to him.


	23. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

The Western Sea shone with the promise of a new day. Isaac looked out from the coast and was greeted by the marvelous sight. The Lemurian ship was there, the metal paneling reflecting the afternoon sun. The ocean stretched out for what seemed like an eternity. The waves crashed into each other, creating gleaming blue ripples that stretched for a few feet before running out of energy and dying. The adepts were glad to see a welcoming sight before them.

_Starting now_ _this is not about saving Weyard but also about saving our own families. Tolbi has made it personal, and they will most certainly pay for that._

The ship bobbed up and down in the shallow waters along the shoreline. With a bit of psynergy, Piers brought the wooden plank down from the ship, landing it in front of them, allowing them passage onto the ship. Isaac could still not get over how, wherever they were, wherever they needed to travel, the ship was there, summoned to them as if it was a sort of pet. They all boarded the ship and most of them got to work, preparing the ship for travel. Sheba, however, did not take part in the tasks at hand. Instead, she went straight towards the inside of the ship, claiming to be exhausted. In reality, Sheba needed to think about what had just happened. Never before had she experienced a premonition that controlled her actions. She tried to remember what she had felt like during the time in Vale but found she could not remember what had happened. The only memory she could muster was that of Vale alit with flame. The next thing she could recall, was Felix kneeling over her. It was almost as if that experience was wiped from her mind. Sheba put her face in her hands, frustrated. Something was not right about this whole situation. She walked to one of the bedrooms and fell onto the bed, trying to turn her brain off, but found she could not. So she was left lying on her back, thinking about all that had transpired.

"Cloak," muttered Piers.

Isaac was excited to see what it would be like to sail on a cloaked vessel. In Lunpa, when Isaac had last been cloaked five years ago, he remembered not being able to see any of the other three adepts around him. They were invisible to all, even each other.

Immediately after Piers muttered the psynergy, all of their surroundings disappeared. The ship disappeared from Isaac's view. Isaac was still aware of the other adepts there, he could still see them, but they all appeared to be walking on air. Isaac looked down and saw only the sea below him. He laughed at the feeling of floating and being grounded combined, tricking his mind.

"I modified the psynergy slightly, so that we can still see each other. However, others will not be able to see us. Either way, it works out to our advantage," said Piers knowingly from the helm of the ship.

"Awesome," replied Garet, starting to walk around. He didn't get three steps before running straight into a wall, falling backwards in surprise. Everyone laughed, as Garet rubbed his head and sat up, "Oh, come on, that's not funny."

"Try not to hurt yourselves," laughed Piers, "Well, what say we get started!"

And with that, Piers turned the ship west, appearing to steer only air as the ship turned. Then, the ship lurched, and they started to move quickly towards Hesperia.

_This is definitely weird._

Isaac grinned, walking around, hands outstretched to prevent any embarassment or injury. He saw Jenna doing the same thing ahead of him, smiling as she too tried to navigate the cloaked ship.

She caught his eye and laughed, "I don't think going inside would be a good idea right now!"

Isaac giggled and replied, "I wonder how Sheba is feeling right now?"

"Why...is she inside?" asked Jenna, seemingly surprised.

"Yeah, she went in right after getting on," Isaac replied.

"Well, why aren't you with her?" she asked slyly.

Isaac was surprised by this question, "What?"

"Well, you two have gotten quite chummy lately, I figured you'd be with her."

Isaac could hardly believe his ears. It was not like Jenna to show this kind of blind contempt, "Jenna, we're married! There's no reason to be jealous, so what's with these questions?"

"I just want to know what's going on between you two!" she replied indignantly.

Isaac understood why she was angry. He had been holding Sheba's vision from Bilibin a secret. He could probably tell her now that Sheba's vision had come to pass, "Look, when we were in Bilibin, Sheba pulled me aside to tell me about a vision she had experienced. She wanted to tell me alone, just to hide its contents from you and the others. She told me that she forsaw something horrible waiting for us in Western Angara. I'm not sure, but she might have seen Vale on fire before it actually happened!"

Jenna was clearly shocked by this, "What? Why didn't she tell anyone?"

"I don't understand her logic either, but I think she has hidden herself from us because she is guilty for not telling."

"Wow," said Jenna, quiet for a few moments, "and this is what you wouldn't tell me?"

"I didn't think it was right. I'm sorry for lying to you..."

"No, I understand, Isaac. You were just trying to protect us, keep up our good spirits while we could."

In that moment, Isaac was so grateful for having her for a wife. She was so understanding in times like this, and Isaac loved her all the more for it.

They exchanged looks of care, but just then there was a call from the helm, "Hesperia in sight! Land Ho!" It was Piers. They had arrived. Isaac remarked at how fast the ship had travelled but did not have long to think as Jenna grabbed his hand and hurried him to the front of the ship. Sure enough, a land mass was now visible ahead of them, a small islet leading them towards Shaman Village.

A new feeling of mystery shrouded Isaac and he knew that Shaman Village would be the source of all the mystery.

Fog began to roll in from the north as they approached land, giving the ship's slow movement and the sound of the ripples an eerie feel.

_What kind of help could we possibly find here?_


	24. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

And so, the adepts had arrived. The sunlight hit their eyes like a crack in the window on an early morning. The cave had once again adjusted their eyes to darkness, but it was not long before they became accustomed to the sun. It was now disappearing behind the distant mountains, the sunset imminent. It would not be long before the shadow of darkness shrouded them. The sunset lit the plain ahead of them, brown grass as far as the eye could see. In the center of the plain sat a collection of several plateaus, marking Jupiter's city, Shaman Village. It was here that Sheba had led them, following her vision she experienced in the burning town of Vale. They were here, and what they were about to find would test their strength on a whole new level.

They did not admire the sight for too long, there was something unsettling about seeing Shaman Village on the brink of night. Isaac still had full trust in Sheba, her visions had always come to pass, whether it be for good or evil. So, he took the first step forward, and the other seven, exchanging looks of nervousness, followed him. Felix immediately retook the lead, as if it was offensive for Isaac to lead them at this point in their journey. There was something strange about Felix, noticed Isaac. He was walking even faster than usual, leaving the others several paces behind him. He was not barking orders as he usually would, but treating this mission as if it was his and his alone.

Isaac remembered then what Sheba had told him about Felix back in Bilibin, "Felix may be leading us, but he has no idea what he heads towards. He sees only evil around him, and feels he must destroy it. His emotions, no matter what they are, always mask his drive to be the hero."

Isaac looked behind him at Sheba. She had always been their intuition, their conscience. She was usually so strong-headed, and yet now, her head was hung, her face pale. She did not look well in the least. Mia was walking alongside her, her hand on Sheba's back. Mia smiled at Isaac as he looked at her.

"Is she going to be okay?" he asked, concerned.

Mia's smile faded a little as she looked at Sheba, "I'm not sure. I've healed her, but I don't think she's physically sick. She's been depressed ever since Vale. She hasn't spoken to anyone."

Isaac looked at Sheba, "We should slow down. She looks like she might pass out at any moment."

Isaac turned to the north, where Felix was now a dozen strides ahead of them. They could not keep up with his pace, or at least Sheba could not. They were going to slow down, whether Felix would or not.

"Felix!" he called. Felix did not turn around, but continued walking at the same pace, as if he had not heard Isaac. "Felix, you need to slow down! Sheba is sick!" called Isaac again, but Felix continued forward, ignoring him. Isaac knew that Felix could hear him, he was not that far ahead. What baffled him was how he was disregarding Sheba. After a couple more attempts to get Felix's attention, Isaac simply gave up. Felix was much too far ahead of them now, and if that was the way he wanted it, so be it. They would meet again in Shaman Village.

Isaac turned his attention back to Sheba.

"We will arrive in about ten minutes, will you make it?" he asked her. Sheba continued to stare at the ground, cold sweat dripping from her pale face. She gave no response but her eyes opened wider seeming to be of fear.

"She's come all this way," remarked Ivan from behind the two women, "when we arrive in Shaman Village, we can give her rest. She is, of course, the champion of Trial Road."

Isaac smiled, remembering the last time they had been in Shaman Village. By defeating Moapa, they had not only proven their power, but also that women can be just as strong as men. His cheerful look at the past did not last long as he looked back at Sheba, who was now breathing harder and faster, becoming more and more pale as they walked.

_What could be wrong with her?_

Eventually, Shaman Village was in sight. The town certainly looked different from the last time they had been there. Some tents appeared to have crumbled to the ground, the wooden poles keeping them up gone. Also, the town was deathly quiet. There was not a soul to be found as they entered the front gates. It was as if the whole town had been evacuated. The only sounds to be heard was the low wind brushing along the grass and billowing against the tents that were still standing. The night had set in now, making it more eerie with the young night sky above them. Isaac remembered that Felix was here somewhere and they had not seen him.

Isaac beckoned to the others, "Come on. Let's find Felix." He began to walk towards Trial Road.

Nobody moved. Mia spoke on what she felt was the behalf of the others, "Are you sure it's...safe?"

"Something is wrong here. I can sense it," piped in Ivan.

"This is all too similar to the situation in Lemuria. I do not want to be in that same position again. It doesn't look like we will find help here anyways," added Piers.

"In any case, we have to find Felix if we're going to get out of here. Piers, if you Mia and Sheba stay back, the four of us will go find Felix," He looked at Sheba for a second, who looked like she might collapse at any second, her eyes open wide in fear. He then looked at Mia, "I don't want Sheba getting hurt."

"Okay," agreed Piers, "but be careful, Isaac. I agree with Ivan, something is most certainly wrong here."

Isaac nodded, trying to keep his face void of emotion. He was, of course, nervous, but he did not want to show weakness in a time when he had become the leader of the party. He turned, and without any further words, headed off in the direction of Trial Road along with Garet, Ivan, and Jenna.

They had only taken a dozen steps before Isaac heard a strange noise in the darkness. It was a low rumble coming from the sky above them. It was like thunder, but there were no breaks in between the thunder cracks. The rumbling was continuous. The rumble grew louder and louder. Isaac could hardly bear the noise and clapped his hands over his ears, grimacing. The thunder appeared to be coming from Trial Road in the north. Isaac's eyes were drawn there where he saw an amazing sight.

There was a huge funnel of wind, a slim tornado, coming down from a humongous thunderhead cloud. It spiraled around and around at very high speeds, but did not travel on the ground.

_Strange,_ _don't tornadoes usually travel with the wind?_

The thunder continued to roar above them, continuing to become louder and louder. Isaac had stopped walking, watching as the funnel of wind became wider and wider until it was roughly fifty feet across. Wind began to billow through the town, blowing down more tents. Isaac braced himself against the wind, which surprised him, almost blowing him off his feet. He squinted to look at the thunderhead, and then...it happened.

A bolt of lightning came down from the thunderhead, striking the ground with a tremendous crash. There was a scream of agony. Isaac recognized the voice. It was Felix. The lightning bolt had momentarily blinded Isaac just by its sheer size. He slowly got his vision back and looked frantically at the other three, who returned the look. Felix was in danger.

The thunderhead had disappeared as if it had never been there, the tornado extinct, and the wind no longer a factor. Isaac broke out in an all out sprint towards Trial Road, where the thunderhead had been. He was scared now.

_Did Felix get hit by that thunderbolt?_

Garet, Ivan, and Jenna were running closely behind them. Jenna looked afraid for her life and perhaps her brother's. They sprinted between the two plateaus that had once been blocked off by a wall of sand, and the entrance to Trial Road was in sight. Felix was still nowhere to be found so they decided to climb Trail Road, taking the west road. Isaac and his small company completed the tasks on pure adrenaline, knowing that Felix could be in serious danger at the top.

It was not long before they completed the final task and climbed the final staircase, the outside newly revealed to them, darkness still making their search difficult. There was nobody directly outside the door, but Isaac heard movement coming from the highest plateau, the battlefield. He grabbed the first rung on the nearby ropeladder and began to climb furiously.

_Felix. Everything will be alright._

As he arrived at the top, his breath caught in this throat as he looked to the centre of the plateau. There he saw a strange and horrible sight in front of them. There was an old man that Isaac had never seen before, sitting cross-legged on the ground, facing out to the south. In front of the old man was a body, lifeless on the plateau. On the chest of the man, there was a blackened wound, a burn wound. Blood was streaming from the wound, skin peeling away from the chest, his ribs exposed. Isaac grimaced at the man's wound. This man could not still be alive, the lightning bolt they had seen seemed to have struck him directly in the heart.

A tear fell from Isaac's cheek in grievance. For the man in front of them...was Felix.


	25. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

He was dead.

_No, it can't be..._

Isaac couldn't believe it. Felix, his partner, his friend, was lying in front of him, lifeless. All the signs showed that he was dead. The gash across his chest, the burnt flesh, the empty look in his eyes. But, Isaac refused to believe that his friend was dead. His mind was flooded with the memories of the time they had spent together. Isaac had been so happy on that fated day in Contigo, when Felix revealed his true quest to them. He had no idea the lighthouses were destroying Weyard. It was a point of change in his life. After that day, he saw Felix as his equal, and a legitimate friend. Now, after all they had gone through together, he was there, lying before them. Death had taken him.

_No...I can still help him. He can still be saved..._

Isaac couldn't understand why he thought he could still save Felix. A part of him knew he was dead, but the other part still thought he could be saved.

_The least I can do is try._

Isaac made up his mind and ran up to Felix, wiping away the tears. Jenna followed closely behind him, while Garet and Ivan stood where they were, a look of shock on both their faces. The old man did not move as they approached Felix's body, continuing to stare into the distance, his back turned to all of them. Isaac kneeled down beside Felix, the cold stone under his knees stained with blood. Immediately, he focused every ounce of strength into healing the body before him. Jenna came up beside him, looking distraught, horrified at the sight of her mangled brother.

She stood there, staring at Felix with glazed eyes, "Is he?"

Isaac, who was sweating profusely from the energy he was putting into a healing spell, looked up at her for a second, and managed to say through gritted teeth, "Help me..."

Immediately, Jenna got the message. She kneeled down alongside Isaac and began to use her Aura psynergy. Isaac felt some of his energy return as Jenna's spell affected him.

Isaac had forgotten the fact that Felix was dead. He had forgotten where he was. He had forgotten the old man beside them. All the focus was now on the healing spell, even though no difference was coming over Felix's body. He looked down at his friend, and began to weep again. It was becoming real that there was nothing he could do. As he looked at the wound, his attention on the spell suddenly unfocused. A voice entered his mind, but it was speaking in a language he couldn't understand. He didn't understand it, but he felt the overwhelming urge to look over at the old man beside them. It was clear to him in his mind that this man demanded his attention.

As he turned to look, the old man moved for the first time since they had arrived on the top of Trial Road. He stood up and turned to face them. He was older in appearance than Isaac had expected. The wrinkles on his face made the eyes appear to droop in their position. He was wearing dirty robes, with a black lace to tie it on at the waist. The hood on the robe had been pulled back as the man stood up.

He stood in front of them, looking first to Felix, and then to Isaac and Jenna, who were both staring back at him, paying due attention to his every move.

"I am looking for a man by the name of Isaac," he said, slowly and just loud enough for them to hear.

Isaac stood up immediately, "My name is Isaac."

The old man smiled. Isaac was being very obedient. He had expected more of a fight from such a highly praised adept. Alex had told him much about Isaac. He would hang with baited breath as Alex ranted for hours on his hate for Isaac and his stealing of Alchemy's power. Surely such a strong adept could not have his mind taken so easily. No matter. He was here to deliver a message, and if there would be no fight, all the better.

"I am here to deliver a message to you Isaac. It comes from my master, Alex, leader of Tolbi. Are you prepared to listen?"

The name Alex rung a bell in Isaac's head, but he had no control over what he was saying, "Yes. Deliver the message."

The old man than reached into his robes and pulled out a roll of parchment. He unrolled it, cleared his throat, and began to read, in a monotonous, slow pace, "This message is to be heard by Isaac. It comes from the mouth of Alex, and is being read to you by Maskah, his strongest henchman," Maskah paused for a moment, "Isaac, your plan to defeat Tolbi is fruitless. Our power is more than you can imagine. You have just witnessed a sample of that power from Maskah. His psynergy alone can thwart your plans. I could have him kill you all now if I wished. But, I want to be there to watch you die. So, I offer you an agreement that I know you cannot refuse. If you allow Maskah to leave Shaman Village with Felix's body, I will allow you free passage into Tolbi. Then, you may fight me for Weyard and your petty freedom. After Maskah leaves, I have another message for you in Contigo detailing on how to get into Tolbi unnoticed. It has been a pleasure doing business with you. Signed, Alex."

Isaac felt the words sink in for a moment. Felix was dead. And Maskah was the one who killed him, on Alex's orders!

_What coward sends a henchman to do his dirtiwork?_

Isaac was infuriated. So angry that he forgot the attention he had thought Maskah required. There was no way he would let Alex get away with this. He would kill Maskah, right here on the blood-stained ground where his best friend's body lay.

Maskah rolled up the parchment, a smirk creased across his wrinkled face, "So, Isaac," he said slowly, "do you accept my master's agreement?"

Isaac gave Maskah a cold stare. Something had come over him after he had listened to Alex's message. His mind was no longer being controlled. No more would Maskah be able to control his responses. So he spoke, in a low, cold tone, "No. We will fight you and show our worth. We will not let your master get what he hopes to achieve."

Maskah's patience was being tempted. This insolent child really thought he could defeat Maskah?

_Does he not know the legacy of my power?_

"I cannot let you pass here unless you agree to the treaty offered to you," answered Maskah in a silky tone that demanded respect.

Isaac could feel the pressure on his mind to be controlled, but he did not give in. He would avenge his friend's death. "Then we will fight you," he answered, "and earn our passage to Tolbi."

Maskah was angry, but he didn't let the anger control his actions.

_I will give them one last chance..._

"I have proven my power to you," he replied, "So I will ask you once more. Will you agree to my master's treaty?"

But it was too late now. Isaac's drive for revenge was too great. He had to fight this man, and prove his worth.

"No," he said cold and simple.

"Then we will fight," answered Maskah, stepping forward.

Isaac quickly beckoned to the others, who had been standing to the side, shocked. Garet and Ivan walked to Isaac's side. Long ago, this was their party. They had once shared a goal, a dream. Now, they would fight as a tandem once again. Not for the lives of others, but for their own, and for their fallen leader. Jenna, however, did not move. She continued to kneel beside her brother and stare at his wound with glazed eyes. She could not accept it, her brother, one she had cared for for so long, was dead.

Isaac looked down at her with pity. He knew what it felt like to lose a family member. For almost three months he had thought his father, Kyle, was dead. He was devastated that the man he had grown up with was gone. The day he had learned from Felix that his father was alive was one of the best of his life. He had felt reborn, a new fire lit within him to see the lighthouses lit and the quest fulfilled.

Isaac watched as a tear fell from Jenna's eye. Her normally fiery red eyes and demeanor that sparked Isaac's love seemed to have left her.

Maskah looked down at Jenna, then up at Isaac. "Get her up," he spat. He wanted to get rid of these adepts as soon as possible. His master would be so pleased.

Isaac ignored Maskah, and leaned down to where Jenna was kneeling. He put his face on her shoulder, his lips brushing against her wavy red hair. He looked at her, but she did not return it, continuing to weep at the sight of her brother. Isaac knew there wasn't much he could say at this point. But he had to say something. He was the only one she would listen to.

Isaac turned to Jenna and whispered into her ear, "You always have me. I will always be here for you. Remember that."

For the first time, Jenna looked up at Isaac. Her teary eyes met his confident ones and they shared a moment of pure love without saying a word. "Oh, Isaac," she whispered, reaching up to embrace Isaac. Her tears flowed harder as she held tightly to his body.

Isaac knew that Jenna needed him now more than ever. He would hold onto her for as long as she needed. But, it wasn't long before she broke the embrace. They looked into each other's eyes again, and Isaac saw in hers a look of pure determination.

"Are you ready?" he questioned simply, knowing full well the answer. Jenna nodded and grabbed Isaac's hand. Isaac pulled her up and turned around, looking at Garet and Ivan. They all shared the readiness now to fight for the revenge of Felix.

Garet had grown up with Felix, he had always been there to support him. Ivan had met Felix truly in Contigo. He had always been a true leader, and would always hold a place in Ivan's memory. Jenna was his sister. She had known him the best. In the times when he was silent, she could read his emotions and help him through his toughest times. And Isaac. Isaac had shared the Venus psynergy with Felix. They had always been friends, and had been ready to fight to the death for each other.

Now, they were going to engage in this fight. They would look into the face of evil, and attack it. They would do it for their leader.

For Felix.


	26. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Piers squinted, trying to pierce the darkness with his vision to try to see where the others were. He hoped that nothing had gone wrong.

"If they bring back Felix, I will be so happy," said a kneeling Mia from behind Piers.

Piers turned away from the north and looked back at Mia, who was kneeling over a sleeping Sheba. "So will I," he answered. It was the truth too. Piers had been an outcast after he left Lemuria, but when he met Felix he finally felt wanted. Something about him, perhaps the fact that he could lead without saying a word, just made him easy to befriend. But Isaac and the others had been gone so long...

Mia echoed his thoughts, "Do you think they will be back soon?"

Piers thought for a second. He then replied, "Isaac will not fail. They will return."

Mia nodded and turned her attention back to Sheba, who had begun coughing in her sleep. Mia quickly put her palm on Sheba's forehead and cast Ply. Sheba's coughing immediately stopped and she fell back into her slumber.

"Is she going to..." started Piers, but he was cut off by a howling noise from the outside. It was the wind, it had started to pick up again. Tents left standing started to flap wildly as the wind continued to pick up. By instinct, Piers grabbed Mia by the hand and put Sheba on his shoulder. He struggled against the wind to walk towards the inn, almost falling off balance. As he got up to the door, a loud thunder crack boomed above them. It was followed by another one, and another one, each one louder than the last. Piers tried the door handle, but it was jammed shut.

Mia, who was hanging on for her life screamed over the wind, "Use your sword!"

Piers could barely hear her, but her message got through. He reached for his Excalibur, struggling against the wind, and pulled it out of its sheath. With a swift blow, he split the door in two. It was open. He ran inside, with Mia by his side, and Sheba on his shoulder. He lay Sheba down on a nearby cot, then ran to push another bed up against the open door. As he lifted the bed up to block the sound of more oncoming wind, Mia screamed from behind him.

Piers frantically turned around. Mia was looking out a window at the back of the inn, facing north, staring into the distance.

"It's happening again!" she yelled over the still-present tornado.

Piers rushed to the window to see for himself, expecting the worst. What he saw was a mirror image of what had just transpired merely hours ago. There was a huge thundercloud above Trial Road far to the north. From the cloud, there was a funnel of wind, a small tornado shooting down poised to hit the ground. It was mere seconds before it did hit the ground, a huge dust cloud appearing as it did. As the tornado hit, both the wind and the thunder around them became immensely louder. Piers and Mia both clapped their hands to their ears, grimacing from the ear-splitting sound. Then, it came. The lightning bolt appeared again above Trial Road. This time, it appeared to split into smaller bolts before it hit the ground. But a split second after it struck, a tremendous roar came from above them. It was the loudest of all the thunder and it deafened Piers for a second. Then...it was over. The thunder stopped, the winds died down, and the thunderclouds parted, revealing the much-awaited morning Sun.

It was the calm after the storm.

~

Isaac had never met Maskah before. He had not heard nor read of his legacy, even though Maskah's downfall had happened right in his hometown. And yet, he felt like he had expected this fight for so long. What he had not expected was that he would not be fighting with Felix. Instead, Felix lay dead in between both parties. On one side was Maskah, who had long awaited this first chance to please his master in battle. On the other side were the four adepts. Just half of the party that had single-handedly saved Weyard from fading to nothingness. Now they were fighting to protect Weyard from a different fate. One that threatened to split the world in two.

Isaac unsheathed his Darksword. He was ready to fight for Weyard. He would fight for freedom and for his fallen comrade.

Beside him the other three pulled out their weapons. Isaac looked at Jenna, Garet, and Ivan. They all shared the same look. They were ready.

It was time.

Isaac was the most confident, and drawing his Darksword, he rushed at Maskah. As he took his first step, his black sword let out a high-pitched howl. Isaac smirked. Maskah would taste the full strength of his blade. As he swung the blade at the neck of his enemy, another large translucent sword appeared in mid-air above him. It was clouded in a black mist. Acheron's Grief. The most evil of all unleashes. Poised to strike Maskah at the same time Isaac did.

But something unexpected happened as Isaac's blade was supposed to hit Maskah. The Darksword was stopped just before it would have hit Maskah. Maskah didn't even blink. He had expected a physical fight from Isaac, who had just lost his blood friend.

Acheron's Grief fizzled where it had been formed. There was no attack made. Isaac could not hit Maskah. His turn was over, and Isaac could not believe it.

_Why can't I strike this man? Just who am I facing?_

Jenna looked over at the shocked Isaac. She too was confused. There was no way someone could block an attack like that with mere psynergy. She suddenly felt the overwhelming need to attack for her brother, for everything she had seen.. She raised her palm to the dark sky above them, a red light formed in her hand. "Dragon Fume!" she yelled, summoning the strength to create the dragon-shaped flame. It appeared out of the ground, opening its mouth with surprising realism. The flame soared into the air, then dived directly at Maskah. But before it hit him, it too fizzled out. This time the flame was disintegrated by a purple haze that Maskah had summoned with little energy. Maskah was growing impatient.

_Fools! When will they realize that I am too strong for any of their attacks!_

Maskah raised his palm to the night sky now. It was his time to prove his power. But he wanted to enjoy this moment and make the deaths painfully slow for these young adepts.

_I will give them a taste first._

He raised his palm, a purple light shining from it. It was time for the adepts to learn why Maskah was the strongest wind adept in Weyard's history. "Spark Plasma." he declared. He knew the adepts would think it was a weak psynergy. How wrong they would be...

Isaac had expected better from a man who's psynergy and physical girth seemed not to affect. As he thought this, a dark thundercloud formed above the adepts. Isaac braced himself for the upcoming attack. Quick to follow the thundercloud, streaks of lightning started to rain down on the adepts. They fell hard and fast, and as the bolts hit Isaac, he knew that this was no normal Spark Plasma. It was as if each bolt of lightning raining down on them had more pure electricity packed into it. The electric shock drained Isaac of valuable energy and he staggered as the thundercloud disappeared. Isaac was reeling. He had taken much more damage then he had expected. He closed his eyes for a moment. He had some time to gather himself before his next attack.

Garet was surprised and drained as well. He looked at the other three and saw weakness. If they were to survive another blow like that one, they needed healing. Garet reached into his pocket and pulled out a clear vial with a light green liquid inside. A Mist Potion. These were rare, expensive items, but they packed a strong healing punch. Garet looked over at Isaac, who did not make eye contact, slumped over on the ground. With the injury to his leader, Garet knew this was the right choice and tossed the vial high into the air. It hung in the air for a moment, before falling towards the ground. As it hit the ground, the vial shattered, and a green mist clouded the adepts in a cool healing wave. Garet, Ivan, Jenna, and Isaac all felt better, if only a little bit and they were ready to fight again.

Ivan, standing at a slight distance from the others, felt a sudden pressure to attack. He would not leave them without his assistance. Maskah's Spark Plasma had not affected him as severely as the others. With Garet's Mist Potion, he was now at full health. He evaluated his options for a moment. Isaac's Darksword had not affected Maskah, so his Tisiphone Edge was most certainly useless against this enemy. Dragon Fume had not even touched Maskah, and Ivan had no psynergy that was even close to the strength of that particular psynergy. So that left him with one option. Djinni. Since Maskah had not taken any damage up to this point, Ivan decided to use his strongest Djinni. Ivan decided on his favorite, Gust.

"Gust," he proclaimed, in a strong tone. Ivan drew his Tisiphone Edge. As he raised the blade, the ghost of a Jupiter Djinni appeared above his head. His blade began to glow in a purple aura. He jumped at Maskah, the djinn filling him with energy. But as he approached Maskah, another unexpected occurence came to pass.

As soon as Maskah had seen the djinn above his foes head, he knew he was in trouble. His aura of defense was not potent enough to block an attack from the elemental creatures. He knew he could probably take the hit, but he did not want to risk it. His mind raced for a counter-attack. In a split second, it came to him. A psynergy that could counter this young man's attack. One Maskah had taught himself long ago, deep beneath Anemos.

Ivan was in mid-air when Maskah shot his palm into the air. In that climactic moment, he summoned the psynergy that would protect him. "Djinni Storm!" he shouted in a booming voice.

Immediately, Ivan fell from the air as a huge psynergetic vortex surrounded all four of the adepts. Ivan felt all his strength leave as his djinni went left him. All the other adepts had the same feeling. With one counter, Maskah had not only avoided an attack, he had stolen energy from the adepts.

Isaac dropped to one knee. For the first time, he realized that he had severely underestimated Maskah's power. There was simply no way around it, Maskah was god-like in his strength.

Maskah smiled. It was time for this battle to end, time for these adepts to learn his true force. He would use his most formidable attack. One he had used for the first time three years ago, proving his power to Alex. Alex had survived that attack, but only hours ago, the adepts' leader, Felix had not. Now these four adepts would succumb to its raw power and taste its wrath.

Inside himself he summoned all his energy and raised his palm. The Jupiter haze covered it once again, and as he raised it, the wind began to billow all around them. Maskah laughed out loud and yelled over the howling wind, "It is time to feel my true power! Now face your fate and your destiny! Storm Surge!!"

As his deep voice boomed those last words, thunder rumbled from far away. The sound became louder and louder, closer and closer, never ceasing. All four of the adepts clapped their hands over their ears as the wind and thunder combined with deafening results. Isaac was truly afraid for the first time in this fight. He had witnessed this psynergy before.

_This is the psynergy that killed Felix._

Now, the storm was coming again, and Isaac saw the huge thunderhead cloud forming above them. He realized that he was looking death in the face. As that thought hit him, a funnel of wind came down from the thundercloud. Isaac had seen this tornado before. As it hit the ground, Isaac was crushed and fell to the cold stone. This tornado was unique. It did not lift its victims into the air, but rather it did the opposite. It crushed its victims to the ground, crippling them. As Isaac hit the ground, a sharp rock pierced his knee, causing a wound which immediately began to bleed. Isaac screamed in agony, but he could not get up. The wind was pinning him to the ground.

Then, it came. The climax. The thunder became even louder, and Maskah was laughing almost as loud. Then, it struck. A lightning bolt at least fifty feet wide shot to the ground. As it got closer to the ground, it split into four seperate bolts, each striking an adept directly in the chest.

Isaac felt his breath catch. He had felt the bolt hit, but the pain had thrown him into shock. He turned over, facing the sky. The cloud above him was fading, and so was his vision. As his sight faded, he was greeted by the sunrise and by Maskah walking into his line of sight.

Maskah looked down at him with contempt and said calmly, "The offer still stands."

Isaac heard it but it did not register. With one final flash of pain, the world went black.

~

A mile away, inside the inn at Shaman Village, Piers was wondering what the hell had just happened.

Mia looked over at him, a questioning look on her face, "How do two identical storms fall on the same day?"

Piers pondered her question for a moment, then answered, "I don't think it was coincidence that those two storms happened on the same day. I'm not going to say that was a form of psynergy, but that would seem to be the only logical explana..."

But he was cut off again, this time by Sheba who was shaking uncontrollably on the cot they had laid her on. Piers ran over to her bedside, fearing the worst.

"Help me hold her down!" cried Mia. Sheba was now having a fit. She had broken out in a cold sweat, and seemed to be having a seizure.

Piers held her shoulders down, but as soon as he touched her, Sheba's eyes snapped open again. She stopped shaking, but she began to sweat more profusely, her eyes rolling into the back of her head.

Then, she began to speak. Her voice was deep and ominous, but unlike in Vale, the voice speaking was definitely hers. She spoke, "Fear the past for the misdeeds of long ago will come to affect the future," her eyes opened wider as her voice became more frantic, "Treyana! We will die and he will take us there! Fear the past!" But, as she spoke the last words, her entire body slumped into the cot. Sheba had passed out.

There was silence for a moment, but before Piers could say anything, there was a loud knocking on the doorframe from outside.

Mia looked at Piers, "Is it them?"

"Must be..." muttered Piers, walking to the bed blocking the door, still reeling from what he had just heard. He summoned the strengty to push the bed out of the way. He did, and he looked outside.

To his surprise, it was not Isaac or any of the other four adepts at the door. It was an old man in dirty robes, with a black lace tying them on at the waist. He stood there, staring at Piers with a curious smile on his face.

Maskah still had unfinished business in Shaman Village.


	27. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

"The offer still stands."

Maskah's last words swam through Isaac's head like a fish through the darkest of waters. Isaac had lost all memory of his whereabouts, his friends, even his past. He had no access to his mind, all he was left with were Maskah's last words. He was not dead, that much he knew.

So he was lost in the darkness of his own mind. Maskah kept reappearing in his head, speaking those last words over and over again. It was like a horrible nightmare, one where no matter where you turn, the same occurence returns. Isaac kept trying to think of his friends, trying to remember their names. But everytime he got close to remembering, a vision of Maskah invaded his mind.

Then, a small light appeared in the distance of Isaac's mind. It was like Isaac was looking through a tunnel, and the light at the end was coming closer and closer. As the light expanded in his mind, one name penetrated his subconscious.

_Jenna._

He remembered her now, remembered the memories they had shared together. Her face entered his mind, and it was like the darkness had shattered as the light filled every crevice of his mind.

He remembered everything now. The fight with Maskah, the lightning bolt striking each of them, Jenna's emotions, Felix...

As the death of his friend came to his mind, Isaac's eyes snapped open. The world was fuzzy for a moment. It eventually came to view, and he noticed he was still lying on his back on the cold stone. His eyes were greeted by the afternoon sun, which was directly above him.

_Felix..._

He averted his eyes from the sun to look for his fallen comrade. As he struggled to his feet, a twinge of pain from his chest made him stop for a moment. He looked down at where the thunderbolt had struck him. His shirt had torn, but to his surprise, there was only a scar on his chest. There was no way that sort of wound could have naturally healed that fast. Somebody else must have healed him...

_But who?_

Isaac looked around at the others. Garet, Jenna, and Ivan were all still unconscious, lying in identical positions on the ground. They were all sprawled in the shape of a star, their arms and legs wide apart. There was no doubt that if he was alive, they were as well. They were equally as tough as himself, and clearly the attack had not been potent enough to be lethal.

As Isaac looked around at the blackened stone around him, he noticed a key figure missing. Felix's body was gone. What was there was a pile of his weapons and armour. Maskah had clearly left with Felix's body. Isaac remembered the conditions of Alex's treaty. Even though it was by force, it appeared they had held up their part of the bargain by giving up Felix's body. But would Alex hold up his end?

Then, Isaac remembered Maskah's final words once again. He had told them that the offer still stands. So, unless the whole thing was a hoax, Alex was prepared to get them passage into Tolbi. Isaac knew Alex too well to think that he would set them up. Alex was a delegator. He was very good at getting what he wanted by making bargains and treaties for his enemy.

Isaac needed now more than ever to talk to the rest of the party. So much had transpired since they had arrived in Shaman Village. His thoughts returned to Sheba, who had led all of them here, and who was clearly sick the last time he had seen her. He hoped that she would be alright.

_She has to know that this wasn't her fault._

Before reviving the others, Isaac crawled over to the pile of Felix's things, his chest still hurting. At the top of the pile sat the Millenium Helm, and underneath it was a chain mail. Isaac moved these things out of the way. He knew what he was looking for, and for some strange reason he knew it was here. Finally, at the bottom of the pile, he found it. The Sol Blade gleamed in the afternoon sun. For some reason, something deep inside him knew that it was right that he should take it. He took his Darksword out of its sheath and replaced it with the Sol Blade. Immediately, he knew this was right. He would fight with the Sol Blade and it would serve as a reminder of Felix's legacy. He would get his revenge on Maskah.

He put his Darksword on the pile of armour and stood up. The Sol Blade had infused him with the energy he needed to defeat the pain in his chest. He kissed his fingertips and rested them on the Millenium Helm.

_I will get your body back, Felix. Alex will be stopped._

Isaac turned away from the pile of armour and walked over to where Jenna lay. He kneeled down, looking at her. She was not dead. She too had merely a scar on her chest. It would not take much to heal her. He put his palm on her forehead and muttered in a soft voice, "Revive." As the psynergy took effect, Jenna twitched for a moment but did not open her eyes. Isaac smiled. Her face was at peace, and she was so beautiful to him in that moment. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. As she felt his touch, Jenna opened her eyes. It took her a moment to realize where she was, but as she saw Isaac over her, she was immediately grateful. She smiled and reached up to embrace him.

They had shared so much turmoil, and yet they still had each other. That moment was perfect for both of them, despite all that had transpired.

Jenna broke the embrace after what seemed like forever and looked up to Isaac, her eyes looking deep into his.

They embraced again, but this time it was Isaac who broke it first. He figured that it would be better if he told her the news before she saw for herself. He spoke slowly, not knowing how to put it into words, "You need to know...that Felix's body is gone."

Her emotions changed in an instant to horror, "What?...How?" she managed to stammer.

Isaac put his hands on her shoulders, "I'll tell you everything when we revive the others," he answered. Jenna nodded in understanding. She knew that Isaac would want to tell everyone at the same time. She did not have any reviving psynergy, so she left the job of reviving Garet and Ivan to Isaac. She struggled to her feet, overcoming the sharp pain in her chest, waiting to make sure she was alright to walk. Jenna held her arms out in front of herself to check for injuries. Other than the obvious one on her chest, there were no others. Luckily, she had not hurt herself falling to the stone.

Isaac walked over to Garet and Ivan and, in turn, placed his palm on their foreheads and cast Revive. The white light from Isaac's palm made both of them twitch with life. In mere seconds, Garet had opened his eyes, followed closely by Ivan. Both of them were fine, Isaac was glad.

It took them a moment to completely become aware of their surroundings, and after a minute or so, Garet spoke first, "Am I alive?"

Isaac and Jenna both laughed and Isaac answered, "Yeah, Garet, you're alive. Now show me, both of you, if you can stand up." Garet struggled, grunting with the pain, but eventually got to his feet. Ivan was much faster to his feet. Long-term pain had never been a problem for the young wind adept. He seemed to naturally heal faster than the others.

As they both came to their feet, the blatant absence of Felix's body struck both of them. "Where is he?" asked Garet, knowing that Isaac would know who he was talking about.

Isaac beckoned to the others, it was time for him to share his theory with them. They surrounded him, Jenna putting a hand on his shoulder. "I think that before Maskah left, he healed our wounds and then left with Felix's body. He left Felix's weapons because they would be too much of a burden for his journey back to Tolbi."

"Why would he heal us?" asked Garet, "Why didn't he just leave us for dead?"

Isaac replied, "After the lightning strike, before I passed out, Maskah stood over me and said 'The offer still stands.' I think by keeping us alive, he is making sure that Alex can be the one to try to finish us off."

"So, what do we do now?" asked Jenna, from beside Isaac.

"Well, we should go talk to the others and tell them all that has happened. They are probably worried about us by now. I think our next step is to travel to Contigo and get the information we need from Alex."

"What if it's a trap?" questioned Ivan.

"I think that now we must go meet with the others, I will answer that question later." replied Isaac. In truth, Isaac didn't know whether there was a trap or not. He only had a strong feeling that it wasn't.

The others nodded in answer. They were all somewhat worried about the conditions of Piers, Mia, and Sheba, but they knew that it was almost guaranteed that Isaac's party had faced the greater trial. So, they all turned to where Felix's body has been, and gave their respects for one last time. The stone was still stained with his blood.

"We will get you back, Felix," said Isaac strongly, "We won't let him take you."

And with that, they turned their backs and left the summit of Trial Road. It did not take long for them to travel back to Shaman Village. Each stage at Trial Road had a simple way to travel back to Shaman Village, which was advantageous for the four anxious adepts. When they reached the bottom, they walked for a couple of minutes and quickly reached the town square.

After two tremendous Storm Surge attacks, there were no tents left standing up. The only buildings left standing were Moapa's house and the town inn. Piers and the other two were nowhere to be seen.

Isaac looked around at the others, "They must have taken shelter in one of the buildings."

First, they checked Moapa's house. The door was locked, but a swift blow from Isaac's Sol Blade solved that obstacle quickly. Isaac kicked the broken door out of the way, revealing the wind-torn contents of the house. The place was a mess. Beds, barrels, and even the wood stove had been blown out of position. From what they could see, no one was here. Isaac had Ivan quickly check the basement, but had no results. They were not here.

So they left the house and ran over to the inn. Isaac was genuinely worried now. He thought they would have seen the others by now.

Unlike the house, the inn's door had already been opened. Isaac looked inside and saw what he had feared most, an empty room. Beds had clearly been moved here as well, but none of the windows had shattered. Isaac walked in and looked around the small room. There were two things that caught his eye. The first was a blue hair on one of the small cots at the back of the room, proving that either Piers or Mia had been here. The second thing he noticed was a small piece of parchment on the same cot.

Isaac picked it up, having a pretty good idea of who it was from. He read it aloud to the others, who had been close behind him the whole time.

_Isaac,_

I have decided, despite your irrational decision to fight me, to still keep my master's offer in play. I have taken Felix's body and will bring it to Tolbi with me. Because you decided to fight, I have decided to take more than I had planned. I have also stolen the other three as well and will take them with me. My master expects you, and if you want to see your comrades again, you will follow these simple directions.

Travel to Contigo. At the center of the town, you will find a note. On the note, you will find the instructions you need to get into Tolbi.

We will meet again.

Maskah

Isaac stopped for a moment. He looked at the others, who stared back at him with glazed eyes. They were all in shock at what they had just heard.

Maskah had taken everything.


	28. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Thousands of miles away, in a city of opposite emotions, Alex was walking through a hallway to the throne room. His plan was working better than he expected. Even though the hundreds of soldiers here in Tolbi and in Lalivero were growing restless, Maskah's work on the other side of the ocean was playing out perfectly. Maskah had just reported to him using his ability of telepathy. Alex had been pleasantly surprised when Maskah had told him that he had not only left Shaman Village with the body of Felix, but he had also kidnapped the still-living adepts Mia, Piers, and Sheba.

The obtaining of these three had definitely not been expected, but Alex would certainly not condemn Maskah for doing it. Alex would retool his plans, but having these three adepts under his control would help the manipulative power he now held over Isaac.

As for Felix, he had planned on getting him from the moment he witnessed Maskah's Storm Surge psynergy. Maskah had explained that his strongest psynergy had a unique power. When the psynergy caused the adept to fall, it would judge the mind of that adept. If the mind was in deep turmoil, then Storm Surge would put the adept into a death-like coma. If not, the adept would simply be knocked unconscious. Alex had known that Felix was in turmoil.

Felix had never considered himself a leader, and now that this whole new quest had been thrown on his shoulders, it was more than Felix could handle, and it was all happening so fast. He tried to outrun the events that were happening, moving faster and faster as the adepts' travelled across Weyard. Felix kept the visible side of him collected, but Alex knew that on the inside he was slowly losing his mind.

It was the destruction of Vale, and Sheba's vision that had sent him over the edge. Of course, the destruction of his hometown was a traumatic experience to go through, but he had always had a soft spot for Sheba. To see her lose control over her mind in Vale was too much for him to take. Maskah had done well to not only take over Sheba's mind, but subsequently Felix's as well. As his party traveled to Shaman Village, on Maskah's will and not Sheba's, Felix made the decision to leave behind the rest of the group.

Felix knew that there was some unknown entity waiting for them in Shaman Village. He didn't know if Alex was behind the being in Shaman Village, but in the now twisted realm of his mind, it didn't matter. In a last attempt at heroism, he ditched the rest of the party and rushed to Shaman Village, to face the entity alone. There, he met Maskah. Felix tried to fight, but was soon swallowed by Maskah's defence.

Maskah retaliated and as Felix looked up at the thunderhead forming above him, he realized that he had been wrong. Leaving the rest of the party was not the right thing to do because individually, he was not strong enough. They were only strong as a team. He remembered Sheba, remembered that he had never told her how he felt about her. He had made the biggest mistake of his life, and now he and the rest of the party would pay the price. Then, the thunderbolt struck and Felix fell.

~

Alex entered the throne room and was greeted by the sight of Maskah and four soldiers. Each soldier had an unconscious adept over their shoulder. He walked to the center of the room, ready to pass judgement.

Alex greeted Maskah warmly, "Welcome back my friend. You have done well."

"Thank you master," answered Maskah, seeing the delight in Alex's blue eyes.

"Maskah, you can go rest. I will reward you for your work after I finish with these adepts," replied Alex, grinning at the sight of the four unconscious bodies in front of him.

"Thank you master," Maskah answered, bowing, and then briskly left the room. He had succeeded, his master was very pleased.

Back in the throne room, Alex paced back and forth in front of the soldiers. They were watching his every move, waiting for a command. Alex stopped first in front of the soldier carrying Piers.

"Take this man to a cell and lock him up tightly. I will talk to him at a later time," he commanded, sending the soldier out of his sight, towards the basement. Alex had more pressing issues than to chat with the Lemurian.

He then approached the soldier carrying Sheba. This fragile young woman was still under the control of Maskah, though she constantly would fight for the control inside herself. That is why she had appeared sick and weak to the rest of the adepts. Fighting Maskah's presence had left her body vulnerable. But she still had a use. With her ability to see into the future, she was a priceless asset for Alex's cause. He looked the soldier in the eye and said, "Lock this one up as well. But do not put her in a cell anywhere near the blue-haired man." The command sent the soldier in the same direction as the last.

Then, Alex approached the soldier with Felix on his back. Felix had been through so much, but Alex knew that the man's life was not yet over. Maskah's attack had not killed him, but had left him in a coma that mirrored death. The wound on his chest did not and would not kill him, he was too strong to succumb to a gash like that. But no healing psynergy would wake him from his current state. He would come back to life in thirty days, and Alex wanted to be there when that happened, "Take this man to my bedroom and lay him out on my bed. I will take care of him later. Do you understand?" The soldier nodded and left Alex alone in the room with Mia and the soldier carrying her.

He looked at Mia. So much had happened since those days when they shared the duties of guarding Mercury Lighthouse. He had loved her back then, and he still had a soft spot for her now. But it was the promise of power that had driven him from her, and now that power was within his grasp. He idly said to the soldier, "Leave her here. You are dismissed." The soldier obeyed, lying Mia carefully on the floor.

Alex kneeled over her, the soldier leaving the room. They were alone now, for the first time in years. Her eyes were closed peacefully, her face so warm and yet so fragile. Alex brushed his hands through her hair. He just wanted a moment to remember past times. Then, he raised his palm, a blue light forming there. "Douse." he muttered. Small raindrops came from a cloud that had formed in the room. The rain hit Mia and as it did, her body twitched and her eyes opened.

Mia blinked for a moment. She had no idea where she was. The last thing she remembered was being at the inn in Shaman Village and seeing this old man at the door. Now it appeared she was in a large room. She looked up and saw someone she did not expect. Alex was looking over her, grinning.

"Hello Mia."


	29. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

She was there before him, vulnerable in her newfound state of shock. Alex's smirk quickly changed to a cold stare as his blue eyes scanned her face. His true emotions were hidden as he looked into her eyes to see the long-forgotten, yet familiar blue sparkle. He felt a sudden lightness in his heart as he looked into the pristine glow of Mia's eyes.

_It's just you and me now._

He shook himself a little, he had not felt this love in a long time. Alex had waited so long for this moment, to be alone with Mia. Now that he had her though, he didn't know what to do. It was a familiar feeling, being lost for words near Mia. The past began to come back to Alex, his younger years. She had played such a huge part as he was growing up. He would not soon forget those times.

Alex's struggles began even before he was born. His father, after learning that his fiancee was pregnant with a baby boy, had abandoned her in the dead of night, leaving her alone in Imil. Still, the mother decided to name her baby 'Alex', after his father. Even Alex's birth was filled with sorrow, as his mother died shortly after giving birth. Having no immediate family, Alex was put in the care of an older couple in Imil. And so, months went by slowly, and Alex began to grow. On his second birthday, he was informed that he was being placed in a small nursery where he would spend his mornings. The older couple hoped that this would make Alex more social. It was becoming apparent that Alex was not a normal child. He would spend more time around puddles and the stream than he would with other children. However, the nursery did not help Alex's social attributes. He would spend all day in the corner of the room, staring transfixed at his glass of water. At the age of three, it became apparent that Alex had the ability to manipulate this water in ways other children could not. After a rainstorm, Alex could be seen outside turning small puddles of water into pure ice. He enjoyed his newfound abilities and would laugh happily at his handiwork. After asking the Great Healer of Imil, the older couple learned that Alex's ability was classified as an unfocused form of psynergy. Very few children had that natural ability so young, and soon the whole town was buzzing with gossip of the young Alex being 'abnormal'. But Alex was not the only big news circling Imil.

News had recently reached the ears of civilians that a newborn child was going to be born. But this was not just another birth. This child would be the son or daughter of the Great Healer himself. It was the Great Healer's line of ancestry that had guarded the lighthouse, and the child would continue this line and protect Mercury Lighthouse, a sacred site. This news brought great joy to the villagers, who had long awaited a new guardian. The child would be born in December, and would be delivered by the Great Healer's wife, Susana.

~

It was a cold night, a night when doors and windows were shut to hide the villagers from the impending snow. All the people of Imil were inside their homes, waiting. Tonight was the night that the son or daughter of the Healer would be born. Four year old Alex sat on the floor with his foster parents in separate chairs. He had been told what they were all waiting for. What he didn't understand was why this baby girl was so important. Just as subtle thoughts of jealousy crept into his mind, a church bell sounded from outside. Immediately, the older couple stood up.

"Put your coat on, Alex. It's time to meet the baby." said the older woman excitedly.

Alex quickly put on his jacket, his spirit renewed by his foster parents' excitement. All three of them walked outside, towards town square, where a throng of twenty or more villagers was forming. The older man propped Alex on his shoulders so that he could see better. All eyes were directed at the sanctum, where the Healer stood in front of everyone, patiently awaiting the arrival of all the villagers. A few of the elders arrived, and as they did, silence fell among the people. All of Imil was now waiting with baited breath.

The Healer raised his hand, and all eyes turned to him. He spoke in a clear voice, "The child is a girl. We have named her Mia, after one of many Mercury goddesses. Rejoice, for the new Healer is born!"

With those simple words, applause broke out throughout the throng of people. A few cheers could be heard as the villagers turned to each other. The men shook hands fervently, and the women embraced as the glee set in. A new Healer had been born. Alex's foster father turned his son towards him, smiling.

"Be glad, Alex. The line of our Healers will continue," he said happily.

Alex couldn't help but feel underwhelmed. His father set him down so he could congratulate the Healer and Alex, left alone, turned away from the crowd, and slipped unnoticed out of the throng.

_What's the big deal? It's just a lousy baby._

He walked home alone, away from the rest of the villagers, who would continue their celebrations for many hours. And so, on this cold night, where happiness was as infectious as the stinging wind, a single boy could be seen alone, lost and confused. It would be several years before he understood just how important this new baby would be in his life.


	30. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

It was Alex's twelfth birthday when things started to change. Alex was beginning to develop into an able young man. He was of average height, with slightly more muscle than the other boys his age. This extra strength did not come as any surprise to the villagers, his genetic father had been a well-bodied man. What did surprise the villagers was Alex's quickly developing psynergetic abilities. His ability to manipulate water had grown with practice. He could be seen on any given day on the other side of the creek, practicing his water attacks on the elm tree. His foster parents, who were now well into their eighties, were certainly proud of his abilities, but there was always a touch of fear. Getting older, Alex was becoming unruly and even surly. He would spend hours alone practicing psynergy, on some days without food or rest. He had no friends, nor did he want any. In his mind, there was only one important person in all of Imil, and that was him. He was stronger and smarter than anyone else, he was self-reliant. There was no reason to depend on anyone but himself.

In the eyes of the villagers, however, Alex was not the centre of attention in Imil. That title belonged to the now eight year old Mia. She had grown with grace. Her shining blue hair matched the blue sparkle in her eyes. She was still young, and still very much innocent, but her psynergetic ability told another story. She had first shown signs of manipulating water two years ago, and her abilities had grown fast since then. Just recently, she had mastered Douse, the most basic of offensive water psynergy.

Alex had only seen her a few times over the years, he tried to stay away from her as much as possible. It only brought intense jealousy to look at her. Alex just couldn't understand what made her special. Just because she was born into the line of guardians, does this mean she should be destined for a better future than Alex's? Alex was stronger, much stronger than Mia would ever be. He had already mastered Freeze Prism, and she was being applauded for learning Douse? It was certainly unfair.

It was on a cool autumn evening when Alex's luck would change. He was inside the house, his foster mother keeping an eye on him from her chair. His foster father was out praying for his family in the town's sanctum. They were both awaiting his return. They seldom talked anymore. Alex just figured he had grown out of them, they were no longer important. One day, and one day soon, he would get out of this wretched town, away from the stares, away from Mia. Just as he was considering where he would go, the door slowly opened. His foster father walked in, grief written on his face. Alex immediately knew something was wrong, this was a man who was always cheerful after a prayer session. The woman immediately stood up, sensing the same thing.

"What's wrong, Richard?" she asked, walking up to him, taking his coat.

The man looked at her with glassy eyes, "It's the Great Healer...he...he's dead..."

Alex stood up at this, astonished, "What?...How?" he asked loudly.

The man turned to him with an estranged look on his face, as if seeing Alex for the first time. He stammered, "Well...I don't know...he seemed to have died in his sleep this afternoon."

Alex just stared at him. There was silence for a couple minutes, and nobody moved. The woman broke the silence with a whisper, "That's....awful," she looked at the man with fearful eyes, "Who will lead us? Mia is much too young."

To Alex's surprise, the man turned to him, "Alex, Susana told me that she wanted to talk to you. At the sanctum. Alone. Before we continue, you should go, it sounds immediate."

Alex nodded. He couldn't understand why Susana would want to see him, nobody from the sanctum ever talked to him, much less invited him to a private conversation. But he could see this was important, perhaps he would become the new leader tonight. So, he left the house without a word, leaving behind the still stunned couple.

He walked quickly towards the sanctum. It was past sunset now, the darkness impending with the sun in the west. Alex could see from the lights in the windows of the houses that everyone had just received the same news. The streets were empty and quiet, he could hear only the sound of his own footsteps.

Alex arrived at the sanctum within minutes. He had only been inside once when he was young, and had never been inside unescorted. He pushed the doors open, letting the cold breeze fill the room. His eyes quickly scanned the room. At the Healer's table was Susana, her hair long and grey, with sorrow in her brown eyes. Alex almost pitied her in that moment. She seemed so frail without her husband. Next to her, to Alex's surprise, was young Mia, looking scared to her mother. Alex stood at the doorway for a moment.

"Welcome, Alex," said Susana, "please come in."

Alex warily entered the room, not looking at Mia, keeping his eyes on his feet.

Susana looked ponderingly at him for a moment, then spoke, "Alex, you know that the Great Healer is dead?"

Alex looked up at her and nodded. He was surprised by her composure, in what must have been a trying day for her. Also, he felt somewhat humbled by Mia's presence. For once, that twinge of jealousy was gone. It had been replaced by intense curiosity. Why exactly were they both called here on this night?

"Okay Alex. I want you to know that you are here because we recognize your talent," she spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully, "because the Healer is dead, we need to choose a new guardian for the Mercury Lighthouse. I have my own duties here at Imil's Sanctum. And Mia here," she gestured at the small girl, who blushed, "is much too young to do this."

Alex felt excited. The moment had finally come. There was a clear direction now. "So..." he said excitedly, cutting her off.

Susana smiled sweetly, "Please Alex. Let me finish. Mia is much too young to guard the lighthouse. At least...she is too young to guard it alone. You two, as young as you both are, are the strongest adepts in Imil. And therefore, I would like you both to share the duty of being the guardian."

Alex felt his jaw drop. He was sharing his duty with Mia? Mia looked up at her mother in surprise. Clearly this was the first time she had heard this.

Susana continued, "You will both start tomorrow. You will live at Mercury Lighthouse...alone. Your job will be to protect the lighthouse from unwanted guests," she turned exclusively now to Alex, "Alex, I want you to teach Mia all you know about water psynergy. You both must be able to protect yourself if the situation arises."

Alex looked at Mia with renewed interest.

_Well, this isn't so bad. We may be sharing duties, but I am clearly in charge._

"Now, both of you get some rest. You will leave for the Lighthouse tomorrow morning...together."

Alex nodded and turned towards the door. He was in bliss. Tomorrow would be the start of something great.


	31. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Alex woke with a start. He rubbed his eyes and looked out the window. It was frosted, the crystals blocking all view to the outside world. The only thing that met Alex's bleary eyes was the morning light. Immediately, he jumped out of bed. He thought the day would never come. He had tossed and turned all night, thinking about his new life at Mercury Lighthouse. It would be spectacular. For the first time in his life he was in a position of power, something he had always desired. Even if he was sharing the spotlight, the feeling of power rushed through him. He liked this feeling, it gave him more confidence than he had ever had.

He looked around the one room house. Both his foster parents were still asleep, both sleeping in separate beds. Alex felt no remorse in leaving them without saying goodbye. He was moving on to greater things, and up to this point in his life, the old couple had only held him back. He quietly reached under his bed and pulled out a suitcase. It was the only possession he had inherited from his father. It contained all his personal belongings, which honestly was not much. Just a few sets of clothes and an old picture of his late mother. For a split second, he was almost disheartened by the thought of living alone. But he quietly shook off the feeling.

_This is what I always wanted. And besides I won't be completely alone..._

His thoughts turned to Mia. He was starting to think he had misjudged her. She was a nice girl, and as long as she stayed out of his way, they would get along fine. He grabbed his suitcase and tip-toed quietly to the door. Alex looked back one last time at the house he had grown up in. Once he left this house, he will have left his childhood behind forever. For a moment, he remembered all the bad times he had growing up. He quickly shook his head and walked out the door into the brisk morning air.

Alex took a deep breath of the freezing air and looked up. The pale morning sun greeted him, along with a cloudless sky. It was time to start fresh. He started off towards the Imil Sanctum.

The short walk felt like an eternity. Alex's mind was swirling with the possibilities of Mercury Lighthouse. How would he teach Mia? How would he protect the lighthouse? But all the questions left as he arrived at the sanctum doors.

He opened them and was greeted by two familiar faces. Susana stood behind the Healer's table, just as she was last night. She smiled sweetly at him as he entered the room. Alex gave her what he thought was a grin. Susana interpreted it as a smirk, and her smile faded. Alex dropped his head at this confusion of emotions. There was silence in the room for a moment, but it was interrupted by the scraping of a chair in the corner of the room. Alex looked up and saw Mia, standing up. She too had a small suitcase. She was wearing her traditional ocean blue robes. She looked over at Alex and smiled nervously. Alex knew that their emotions at that moment were not the same. He was excited, while it appeared that she was nervous and scared to leave home.

Susana broke the silence, "Well you two should be leaving soon," she smiled at the two of them, "when you arrive, find the room in the first hallway. There will be two beds ready for you. You shall sleep and eat there. We will have a citizen send you a week's amount of food once a week. I'm sure you will be quite comfortable."

They both nodded. Alex was ready now, and was anxious to leave.

"One more thing..." Susana added, "I hope you both realize the responsibility you have inherited. Do not take it lightly. However, with your abilities and hopefully a bit of friendship, I'm sure you'll be fine," she smiled sincerely, "But now it is time to go!"

She motioned for Mia to join Alex at the door. She walked over, stopping at the Healer's table to give her mother one final goodbye hug. She then walked up to Alex, and gave him a meek glance. Barely audible she mumbled, "Hi."

Alex wanted to say the same back but strangely found he could not. Instead, he turned to the doors, not giving her an answer.

As he opened the doors, Susana called from behind him, "Alex..." Alex turned to face her, "Good luck."

Alex nodded and walked back out into the morning air, Mia following at his heels. They turned and headed towards the north. In the distance, there was the Lighthouse. Even though the beacon was not lit, it still stood as a prominent figure from Imil's perspective. In fact, the Lighthouse was the reason for this town's existence. For no other reason would there be a community in such unfavorable conditions. The snow never melted here, and permafrost eliminated all growth. But these conditions and a common purpose brought the people of Imil together. They were all equals, with the exception of the guardian, who's authority was higher than any others.

As Alex and Mia walked stride for stride, past the small houses, faces appeared in the windows. Most of them appeared puzzled, as the news of Alex and Mia's appointments had not spread far. But there were a few faces who smiled through their frosty windows, knowing that although these adepts were young, their future as guardians were bright.

In no time at all, Alex and Mia had left Imil, and started along a narrow path leading to the Lighthouse. Mia looked back for a moment, at the town where she had grown up. She was now walking away from her own childhood, at a very young age. Now, at the Mercury Lighthouse, was the time where she would have to grow up. Alex, however, did not look back, only staring at the wonder of the Mercury Lighthouse in the distance. It was a wondrous structure, standing tall while scraping the clouds with its pinnacle. It shone blue in the morning sun, giving it an aura that was unmistakable.

The path ended at the foot of the Lighthouse. Both Alex and Mia, who had yet to even look at each other, both stopped. In front of them was the Fountain of Hermes. It had run dry long ago, but it was still a wonder to behold. The intricate designs of mercury goddesses were permeated in the stone, representing the years past.

Alex walked past the fountain after a moment and headed towards the doors of the Lighthouse. Mia waited at the fountain, watching him walk ahead. She wasn't sure if she wanted to follow him inside. This was all so new to her and she did not fully trust Alex. He was so mysterious.

Alex pushed the doors open, and turned to look back at Mia. A part of him wanted to just leave her there at the fountain and explore the Lighthouse alone. But this notion was defeated by something stronger, and he spoke to Mia for the first time, "Well? Are you coming?"

Mia, who had kept her eyes averted, looked up at Alex and quickly nodded, "Sure," she said meekly, walking up to the doors and entering. Alex followed.

The first hallway gave them a good idea of the condition of this Lighthouse. There were numerous holes in the floor, which appeared to continue forever, no end in sight. As they walked, the holes in the floor became larger, but the hallway was large enough to create a safe walking path. At the end of this hallway, they found the largest hole yet. This one was large enough for them to fall into. Mia walked forward and stood at the edge of this hole, peering down. Alex, standing behind her, had a sudden mischievous idea. He creeped up behind her, Mia was oblivious to this, and he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back towards him. Mia screamed at this, thinking that Alex was going to push her in. Alex laughed at her reaction, and she immediately turned angrily towards him.

Alex grinned apologetically at her, showing that it was just a joke (which, in truth, it was). Her frown faded a little as Alex chuckled a little more. For some reason, Alex felt a little more comfortable with Mia after the practical joke.

There was silence for a moment as they both stared at their own feet, both faintly smiling. Mia spoke first, "That wasn't very funny you know."

Alex grinned at her, "Oh, like I was going to push you in. You're my backup!"

Mia frowned, "I thought my mom said that we were equals!"

Alex laughed and shook his head, "I'm just kidding." He looked at her for a moment, judging her reaction. She was smiling. "Now, let's find the room where we'll be staying."

Mia nodded, "But don't do that again, okay? I was really scared!"

Alex wanted to give a sarcastic retort, but couldn't think of the words. Slightly flustered at this lack of concentration, he merely nodded and walked towards the next door. Mia paused for a moment, then followed at his heels, not so afraid of this mysterious figure anymore.

The next hallway led them to a room with two beds. Evidently, this is where they would be sleeping. Alex dropped his heavy suitcase at the foot of his bed and jumped onto it, closing his eyes.

He reflected on what had happened in the last couple of days and how already, his life had changed. Just as he started to think about what he would do next as guardian, he drifted off to sleep.


	32. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

Seven years passed.

Mia and Alex grew up at Mercury Lighthouse together. Alex was now a well-bodied young man. He had grown tall and strong, in girth and in psynergy. He would find time everyday to train both Mia's and his own abilities. Mia was also growing taller, as her body developed into that of a flourishing young woman. Her shocking blue eyes were her best feature, and they were brought out by her long blue hair. She was about as tall as Alex, but not nearly as strong as he was. Even over several years, she had only learned a limited amount of psynergy. But, she had become learned in the most important of all water psynergy, Ply. With that psynergy, she now had the ability to become a Healer. News had reached their ears that Susana was growing frail with old age. It was only a matter of time before Mia would take over as the Healer in Imil, and Alex would be left alone to guard the Lighthouse.

In his mind, Alex was mostly excited for this. He had trained Mia for years, looking forward to the moment where she would leave the role of guardian solely on his shoulders. And yet…a part of him did not want to see Mia go. He had grown very fond of her over the years. He always wanted to tell her what a stunning young woman she had become, but could never find the right time nor the words.

Even without these words, though, Alex and Mia had developed a close friendship. They shared a similar sense of humour and were always making jokes at the expense of the other. Alex, however, true to his word of seven years before, never again pretended to push Mia into the gaping hole in the first hallway.

On this day, Alex and Mia were outside at the front of the Lighthouse. For the third week straight, Alex was attempting to teach Mia the Freeze Prism psynergy. They were practicing on a small bush.

"Okay, try it again," declared Alex.

Mia raised her palm, a blue light eminating from it. "Freeze Prism." Immediately, from the sky, there came four or five pieces of hail that were roughly the size of a basketball.

Alex sighed, exasperated. Mia opened her eyes, looking at Alex with an expecting smile. Alex spoke, "Mia, there were only four again. You need to focus hard enough to summon at least a dozen!"

Mia frowned at him, "This is harder than it looks you know!"

"You don't think I know that?" For some reason, Alex was becoming very impatient with Mia. He was having one of those days, one of the days where he really did not want to have to teach her. "Try it again, this time focus!"

Mia shot him a glare before closing her eyes once again. Her face distorted in a look of intense faces. She slowly raised her palm, the blue light there again. Still in her state of focus, she muttered, "Freeze Prism."

Once again, the huge pieces of hail fell from the sky. But this time, only a disappointing three fell, shattering on contact with the bush, freezing a few bristles on one branch.

Alex sighed again, this time even louder than the last. Mia's eyes shot open, "Do you have to sigh like that?" she said angrily in a raised tone.

They were both becoming increasingly frustrated with each other. Alex, in his anger, shouted back at Mia, "What do you want me to do? Proclaim your continuing failure to the world?"

This statement clearly hurt Mia, "I'm trying my best!" Tears started to well in her eyes, "Don't you understand that? This isn't as easy as you make it out to be!"

Alex glared at her. Inside, he had not wanted to make her cry. But this psynergy was so easy and he wanted her to realize that! Not knowing where the words were coming from, he spoke in a low, dangerous voice, "I learned this psynergy when I was nine years old. This _is_ as easy as I make it out to be."

Mia looked shocked at him for a moment, then turned and ran inside, her weeping audible on the frozen tundra. Alex just stood there, watching her run away. He could not believe himself. What made him say such a thing? He had known it would hurt Mia, and yet he had said it anyway. He looked at the bush, which stood as the lonely figure of green in a world of white.

_Why can't I just say how I feel about her?_

He had known all along what he felt for Mia. And as he grew older, the word become more apparent in his mind. It was love he felt for her. And yet, he could never tell her, fearing her reaction. Now he had hurt her with his words, and that was the last thing he had wanted. He looked towards the Lighthouse. The front door was still ajar from Mia's abrupt entry.

_It has to be now._

He would go inside and apologize to her, then tell her how he really felt about her. There was no better time, and if he did not do it now, he simply could not live with himself. His mind made up, he walked towards the door.

The door to their sleeping quarters was shut. He slowly opened the door. Inside, Mia was lying on her back on her bed, staring at the ceiling, her eyes red and still wet with tears. She did not look at Alex as he entered the room. Alex slowly walked to his bed, sat down, and faced Mia. He looked at her, and there was silence. Alex knew what he wanted to say, but once again he found it hard to start. His mind started to reel, he had to say something…had to break the silence. His mind had been made up, but now he was not sure that this was what he wanted to do.

Then without thinking, he spoke quietly, "Mia…" He was quickly cut off though, as Mia began to talk at the same time.

"You really don't understand me, do you?" she asked in a whisper, her voice cracking.

"I…" he wanted to say he did, but he could not lie.

Mia slowly sat up and moved to sit on the side of her bed, so she was eye to eye with Alex, "You can say no."

Alex looked into her pristine blue eyes. There was only a few feet separating them, it felt to Alex like they had never been this close. He spoke the truth, "I don't."

There was silence for a moment as they looked at their own feet. Having to say something, Alex's head came up. But once again, they spoke both at once.

"Alex…"

"I'm sorry."

They looked into each other's eyes. It seemed like hours. Mia seemed surprised that he had apologized, like that was unlike him. Alex dropped his gaze once again. There was so much tension in the room, he just wanted to walk away. But something kept him there. He had entered the room with a purpose in mind, and he was convinced that he would not leave until it was fulfilled.

There was silence again, a silence that lingered for what seemed like hours. Both Alex and Mia did not or could not have anything to say to each other. Once again, the thought crossed Alex's mind.

_It has to be now._

In one last summon of courage, he decided to break this tension, and tell Mia how he felt, no matter what the reaction.

Lifting his head to face her, he started, "Mia…" choosing his words carefully, wanting the moment to be perfect.

Then, out of nowhere, as if all tension in the room had been broken by that single word, Mia leaned forward and kissed Alex on the lips. Alex sat frozen in his position, feeling the unreal feel of Mia's soft lips against his. The room spun around him, he could not close his eyes, he could not move. This moment had come too soon! It was not part of his plan! As the room spun, and Alex's thoughts raced, Mia pulled back slowly, breaking the kiss.

She just sat there and stared at the floor, blushing.

Alex was still frozen in his spot.

_Did that really just happen?_

He had to say something, something meaningful. As his mind once again raced for something to say, one word prematurely escaped his lips, "Why?"

Their eyes met again as Mia straight at him, "Do you understand now?"

Alex wanted to respond, but it was as if those words had set off a trigger in the back of his head. It was over. There was no longer a 'plan'. His head spun with indefinite sentences of jumbled words. He had nothing he could say. Somehow his mind was convincing him that this whole situation was wrong. He could not be here anymore. The tension was back and it felt as if the walls were closing around him.

She was there in front of him, and she was his. And yet, he could not claim her. This was not right. He had to go. Now.

His legs followed the will of his mind and he stood up and walked to the door. He stopped and looked back at her one last time and spoke in a definite voice, a voice that was sure of it's owner's actions, "The title of guardian is yours. I cannot be here anymore."

She just sat there, looking at him in confusion.

Alex turned and walked out of the room. He walked out of the Lighthouse and just kept walking. He realized then that he could never see Mia again. He had left too much turmoil. He had walked away from the one thing that had mattered to him over the past seven years. And he would never come back.

All aspirations gone, confusion as to his own actions, Alex walked away from the Mercury Lighthouse. Away from Imil. Away from his childhood. Away from Mia.

A new chapter of his life was about to begin.


	33. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Mia closed her eyes once again. This could not be happening. She was lying on her back in a huge white room, the stone floor cold on her exposed lower legs. In what felt like only a few minutes ago, she was in Shaman Village, watching over Sheba. Then, a strange man had come to the door of the inn where they were hiding. From what she could see from behind Piers, the man was very old and wore dirty robes. The last thing she remembered was Maskah looking past Piers and herself, staring intently at Sheba, grinning.

Now she was on the stone floor and above her was the most shocking part of it all. Alex was there looking down at her, his lips curled in a pleased smirk. She remembered what she had once felt for Alex, but it was gone in an instant. Her only feelings for Alex now were disgust and pity. Only a sick person could find glee in killing all those innocent citizens in Vale and Vault. And also, she now had a much more trustworthy group of friends. She remembered them, and wondered what had happened to Isaac's party, the party that had climbed Trial Road. Her thoughts turned to Sheba…and Piers. And Felix.

_Where is everybody?_

Her wandering thoughts immediately were turned back to the current situation she was in. She could not help but feel a little fear as Alex spoke in a sarcastic tone,

"Hello Mia."

Alex was finished reflecting on the past. That part of his life was over. In fact, leaving Mia and the Mercury Lighthouse behind was the best decision he could have made at that point in time. After that fated day, events were set in motion making Alex the powerful adept he was today. Today, his abilities were unrivaled, and he knew it.

Now he had Mia right where he wanted her. With him. And alone. It was time to show her that he had moved past her and their days in the Mercury Lighthouse. His lust for power had surpassed all other desires, and he wanted her to know.

He stood up from his kneeling position and began to pace back and forth. After a moment, he turned to Mia and spoke, "Mia…do you remember the day I left the Mercury Lighthouse?"

Mia turned her head and attempted to sit up.

Immediately, Alex shot his palm out in front of him, pointed it at Mia's wrists and in an instant, they were frozen to the floor.

Mia struggled, but the small rings of ice that had formed around her wrists and to the stone floor were too strong. She was pinned to the ground, unable to move her arms. Then an obvious thought entered her mind, "What was the point of that, Alex? The ice is only going to melt in a few minutes."

Alex chuckled for a moment then answered, "Oh, that ice will not be melting anytime soon. So I would get nice and comfortable," he turned away from her, and added in a demanding tone, "Now answer my question."

"Yes, of course I remember," she muttered, hating Alex now more than ever.

"Good," he said, turning to her, "Do you remember what you did to me, the last thing you did to me, before I left?"

Mia was becoming wary of these questions, "Yes."

Alex grinned evilly at her, their eyes locked in mutual hate, "What did you do to me, Mia?"

Mia was so full of rage now, but knew she could do nothing with her wrists frozen and her palms facing the ground. She did not answer his question, she would not answer.

Alex walked up to her and leaned so that his head was just above hers, "Well?"

She whispered her answer, her body shaking in anger, "I don't remember."

Alex face contorted with anger, and without warning, he spat in her face, "Tell me," he whispered darkly.

Mia cringed as the saliva hit her cheek. But she would not be swayed, "I don't remember," she repeated.

Alex stood to the full extent of his height and turned away from her, walking two steps in the other direction. "I think you do remember, Mia. Now I will give you one more chance. Tell me what you did."

Mia smiled. Alex was getting angry, she was winning. "I don't remember, Alex." she answered sarcastically.

In an instant, Alex spun to face Mia, fury filling every inch of him. He walked quickly up to her and kicked her, hard, in the ribs. "Tell me!" he yelled, spitting in Mia's face again.

Mia gasped in pain. She had not expected such a brutal attack. Her rib felt as if it had been set on fire. There was no more anger, only pain. Barely able to breath from the burning in her rib, she gave him the answer he desired, "I…kissed you."

Alex turned away from her again. He had sent a message, and he had to continue, "That's right. You kissed me. Now tell me Mia, why would you do such a thing?" he asked, mocking her with every word.

Mia, still could barely breath. She attempted to raise her hand to heal herself, but could not get it off the ground.

Alex turned and saw her trying to break her palm free. He walked up to her, and with all his strength, he stomped down on her struggling right hand. "You will not break free, Mia. Now answer my question." he said quietly.

Mia whimpered. She had felt a bone in her right hand break and with Alex still standing on it, a tear of pain fell down her cheek. Every breath she took was pained with her bruised rib. With pain flooding her body, the only thing she could do was answer his question, "I did it…" talking was painful, "because it felt right at the time."

Alex looked blankly at the opposite wall, still standing on her hand, "Interesting. So if kissing me felt right…does that mean…" he grinned, letting out a low, sarcastic whistle, "Mia! Do you love me?"

The question penetrated Mia's very being. And just like before, her anger returned. She was afraid of being hurt again by Alex, but she could not answer this question. It was a secret she had kept locked away for so many years.

After a moment of staring intently at Mia, Alex kneeled down, finally taking his foot off of Mia's hand. Mia exhaled at the release of pressure. Alex then moved his head closer to Mia's until they were so close together, their noses were actually touching.

Mia closed her eyes and closed her mouth. She had never wanted to be this close to Alex ever again.

Alex whispered, in a seductive tone Mia had never heard him use before, barely audible, "Do you love me, Mia?"

It was as if all the evil memories of Alex had faded. Mia opened her eyes and saw Alex only inches away. His breath had a sweet scent. For some reason, it reminded her of her home in Imil. She remembered all the happier times she had spent with Alex. The hours spent teasing each other on the frozen fields outside the Lighthouse. Finally, she remembered her first and only kiss. It had been so sweet, when his lips had touched hers. It had been a perfect moment. And she wanted it again.

Mia cast aside all the pain, all the anger, and all the ill memories as she breathed the intoxicating closeness of their lips. Mia slowly raised her head about six inches, and their lips met.

It lasted only a second. Alex pulled his head back. He gave her an intense look of hate, and without warning, slapped her hard across the face, cursing. He stood up once again and looked down at her in disgust, "I knew you couldn't resist me."

He then shot his palm forward, pointing it at Mia's face, a blue light eminating from it.

Mia felt her tongue freeze. The pain was indescribable. The intense cold actually burned her tongue, but not even the heat of her mouth could melt the ice. She opened her mouth to say something, but found she could not. It was as if her vocal chords had been frozen as well. So she remained silent, bruised, in pain on the stone floor.

Alex kicked her again, in the same rib. Mia opened her mouth, an inaudible scream escaping her lips. He spat the next few words with hate written in every syllable, "Well Mia, I want you to know that I never have and never will return your love for me."

His anger was growing stronger still. Here was the woman who had haunted the first eighteen years of his life. She had been in his thoughts for every waking moment of the seven years he spent at Mercury Lighthouse.

Then the vision of their first kiss came to him. It filled him with cold fury, a fury so strong that it erased all other thoughts from his mind. Darkness enclosed him. He hated himself for walking away, for never having the right thing to say. But even more, he hated Mia, who had left him to join forces with Isaac. He did not want her anymore, and to forget her he had to cause her ruthless pain.

The fury was still in full force as his childhood memories came to him, he never had a friend. He remembered that he never had a parent, how his father had deserted him before he was even born. Then he looked down at the woman before him with an empty stare, and he remembered Mia. Those years had brought nothing but pain, and that pain would never leave him. As the darkness of his past consumed his thoughts, he raised his palm, in a culmination of fury, distress, and pain.

He lost control in that moment, like he had only once before. And in that moment, the blue light in his palm distorted, grew larger, and turned black.

The voice flowed out of him without any thought. It was a haunting voice, and it spoke the fated words,

_Summon the shadows_

_They lie in fate_

_They lie in doom_

_Summon the shadows_

Mia looked up at Alex. He was speaking a language she did not understand. As the black hole in Alex's hand grew larger, Mia opened her mouth. She wanted to tell Alex that she was sorry for her actions at Mercury Lighthouse. She wanted to tell him that she forgave him for the pain he had caused. But no words came out, and all her feelings were lost as she felt her throat compress. Her eyes bulged. She could no longer breathe. Her aching lungs gulped for air, but there was none to be found. Mia looked up in darkness and saw Alex one last time. Then, her body tightened, and the room faded.

And the world went black.


	34. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

Piers opened his eyes. They were bleary for a moment as the world around him appeared fuzzy. He immediately noticed a sharp pain in his lower back. His eyes focused and the pain became more intense. He grimaced as he sat up, rubbed his back, and checked his surroundings. As it appeared, he was in a large cell. On three of the four walls there was stone, and on the other, cell bars. From the darkness of the room, it was obvious that he was underground. Outside the cell bars, there was a stone hallway and more cells.

As Piers attempted to stand up, the sharp pain in his back made him wince and sit back down. It was clear from the placement of the bruise that whoever had brought him to this cell had simply thrown him in. He took a deep breath, and once again attempted to stand. This time, by using the cell bars and dealing with the intense pain, he brought himself to his feet.

He leaned on the bars and looked out. There was nobody in the long hallway of cells. At the end of the stone hallway, there appeared to be a dark, winding staircase, leading up. He then examined the other cells. There were many of them, but they all appeared empty at first sight. Then, in the cell directly across from him, he heard something move. He snapped his head to see what had made the noise.

The light in the hallway was not very bright, and Piers had a hard time making out what he was looking at in the opposite cell. He squinted, putting aside the pain in his back. Then, there was another movement in the cell and Piers saw a small human roll over on the stone floor. The long, sandy hair was unmistakeable.

It was Sheba.

Piers was ecstatic. Even though it felt like only minutes ago when he had been protecting Sheba, it was still good to see a familiar face in such a strange place.

Piers whispered across the hallway, "Sheba…hey, Sheba!"

The body in the opposite cell rolled over again, and Sheba's face appeared in the dim light. She was on her side, wearing a mute expression. Her eyes were hollow. Piers was chilled for a moment. She had changed so much since that vision in Vale.

"Sheba?"

Her passive, hollow stare slowly moved to Piers and her expression changed to a haunting smile. Her lips cracked with the smile, a tear of blood falling to her chin. Her hollow smile was followed by her voice, which had become monotonous, "Hello Piers."

Piers felt so much pity for her. She was so weak and frail. Her body was slumping once again as Piers wondered aloud, "Sheba…what's happened to you?"

Sheba's smile faded at this question and she closed her eyes. Her eyebrows furrowed as an expression of pain seemed to wash over her. As the expression passed, her eyes remained closed, and she gave Piers an answer in a whisper, barely audible, "I can't tell you."

Confused by this unexpected response, Piers replied, still whispering, "What do you mean?"

Sheba's body slumped again. It appeared that it was taking all the strength she had just to remain conscious. Her eyes still closed, she answered Piers, her voice growing weaker still, "I can't tell you Piers."

Piers decided to leave the subject alone. It looked like even talking was taking a toll on Sheba's dwindling energy. He turned his focus from Sheba for a moment to look at the bars that held him prisoner. The lock on the door was hanging just out of arm's reach for Piers, he could not seem to squeeze his arm through the narrow bars.

Then, as he stared intently at the lock, an idea came to him. The lock appeared to be made of steel. Perhaps, with a bit of ice, he could break the lock from the inside. It was becoming obvious that there were only a few people who knew or cared about where they were. If he were to break himself and Sheba free, perhaps they could get a better idea about their whereabouts and how to find the others. It was an indefinite plan, but it was a plan nonetheless.

"Sheba…"

She had turned over again, her back to Piers. There was no response.

"Sheba…I'm going to try to get us out of here."

No response.

Realizing that he was probably going to have to carry Sheba out of this dungeon, Piers second-guessed his initial plan. But he did not debate long, his mind was made up.

He stood up, taking the pressure off the bars. His back singed for a moment, but this pain did not matter anymore. He pointed his open palm at the lock on the bar door, focusing on what it was he had to do. A blue light came from the center of his palm, filling the dark room with a blue glow.

In an instant, the lock was frozen. And, as Piers became even more focused, the ice became stronger, and after a few seconds, the lock split, falling to the ground with a loud clank.

_Clearly these cells were not made to hold adepts._

Piers looked up and down the hallway to see if the noise from the lock had awoken any previously unseen guests. He saw nothing, and slowly opened the door. A quiet creak accompanied him as he tip-toed out of his cell. It was then that he realized the usual weight of his sword was missing. He did not think much of it, it would probably not be too hard to find.

He quietly approached Sheba's cell and peered inside. Sheba was huddled in the fetal position on the floor, her blank eyes wide open, staring off into nothingness.

"Sheba, come on, we have to go."

Immediately after hearing these words, Sheba slowly turned so she was lying on her back. She looked up at Piers, her face white with an expression of panic, "I can't," she whispered, her voice trembling noticably.

Piers could not understand her, she must have been out of her mind! He decided that he had to get her out, whether she wanted to or not. He reached for the lock on her door to see if it was the same type, "Come on Sheba, I'm getting you out. Now."

Sheba seemed to go into a state of full-blown panic. She jumped up, standing without help for the first time since they had arrived in Shaman Village. She grabbed the bars with her left hand, and grabbed Piers' outstretched arm with her right. She spoke again, this time her voice was not monotonous, it sounded like the old Sheba, and it sounded scared, "No Piers. You really can't."

Piers was getting angry at her stubbornness, "Why not?" he asked, distressed.

Sheba closed her eyes again. Then, just like a few moments ago, a wave of pain seemed to wash over her. Her whole body shuddered as she staggered back a few steps. After a second, she opened her eyes again. She staggered back to the door, staring with fear at Piers the whole time. She looked up and down the hallway, as if expecting to see someone, before answering him.

"I can't go…" her voice became panicked and rushed, "B-because he'll kill me if I do."

Piers was taken aback by Sheba's words and actions. Here was a woman who was clearly out of her mind. "Who will kill you?...Oh come o-"

But he could not finish his sentence. As if hit by a train, Sheba opened her mouth wide, in what appeared to be an inaudible scream. Her face changed quickly from terror back to a mute expression. Her eyes once again became blank. And she fell backwards onto the floor, lying frozen in a sprawled position.

As all this happened to Sheba, Piers snapped his head in the other direction to the staircase at the end of the hallway. He could hear footsteps coming down.

Frozen in his place, Piers watched as an old man robed all in white walked into the hallway. The man was looking directly at him, and he was smiling.


	35. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

The glory of the morning sun woke the plains of northern Gondowan. The expanse of land shone pale, every blade of tan grass shining with dew. The area outside Tolbi was not exotic by any means, but it was average, like the people who once lived there. The wind came in low and singed the tall grass, making it billow in the cold breeze. Trees were few and far between, but the one or two that could be seen were impressive, soaring high into the pure blue sky. These expanses of tall grass were peaceful, with not a voice to be heard. But as one gravitated to the east, closer to the Karagol Sea, it was clear what made the land so quiet. The city of Tolbi had grown since the arrival of Alex five years before. The city was a wonder of stone, its design once echoing Lemuria, now pure white and intimidating. Military forces filled every crevice of the town, their tents silent, waiting for the order to be sent off. At the north end of the city, the Colosseum still stood, its figure more impressive than ever. Today, it stood as a training ground for the thousands of Tolbi soldiers, no longer opening its door once a year to house the massive event of Colloso. But the villagers did not argue this. In fact, most of the villagers had been put in the army, brainwashed by Maskah and made powerful by Alex. The women and children who were deemed too weak to fight were locked up in the ever-expanding dungeons beneath Tolbi's Palace.

It was here, at the Palace, where everything happened. Behind the stone doors, the front hallway opened impressively to anyone privileged enough to enter there. Statues of Babi that had once stood there were gone, replaced by statues of an unknown soldier; his face set, the crest of Tolbi shining on his helmet. The hallway opened up to many rooms, many of them no longer in use. There was no planning needed for this war, therefore there was no need for generals or secretaries. Alex and Maskah were the only powers behind this war, the soldiers only fought because they were only under Maskah's mind control.

Up a flight of stairs, and you were at the throne room. A once lavish place, with red rugs and wildlife filling it, today it was pure white stone. On this particular day, as the pale sun shone into the open window, there were two figures in the throne room. A man and a woman, both in blue robes.

Mia was motionless, lying on the stone floor.

Alex snapped his eyes open. It was as if all his fury had been released with that attack. He was starting to gain some sort of knowledge about what it was. It was a psynergy that fed off the anger and pain in one's soul. Alex was an impressive adept but he was also haunted and infuriated by the memories of his past. Both of these things attributed in his ability to summon this dark psynergy.

All anger gone, Alex looked down at Mia's motionless body. His attack had clearly knocked her unconscious. She lay cold and relaxed on the stone white floor.

_Something is wrong. _

He leaned down to look closer at Mia, her mouth was shut, her eyes not closed in unconsciousness, but open, blank and fixed at the open window. Realizing in shock what the signs showed, Alex put a shaking hand on Mia's chest.

There was no beat.

Scared, Alex quickly put his ear to Mia's mouth.

There was no breathing.

Alex stopped. There must have been a mistake. Maskah had only been knocked out by this attack, what made Mia different? With no second thoughts, he put his palm on Mia's forehead. Her skin was cold to the touch. "Revive," he muttered, putting all his strength into the psynergy. The blue light was so strong it actually shone through Alex's hand, but nothing happened to Mia. Alex reluctantly pulled his hand back. He stared at Mia, shaking, as the truth became clear.

Mia was dead.

Alex was frozen there. This is not what he had wanted…not death…not for Mia. He had lost control, and this was the result. She was dead, and he had killed her. Alex stood up, but his legs crumbled beneath him, and he fell back, looking at Mia the whole time. He wanted to run from the room, but something kept him there, just staring at her. He could not come to terms with what he had done. He had thought that no psynergy was strong enough to kill, but this one…it was so different. He raised his own palm and looked at it, his eyes unfocused. Did he really have the potential to kill?

_Of course I do. This is what I have been working for…to be strong enough to kill…_

He looked at her body again. Her face was growing paler as death took the warmth from her body. She had been a strong spirit in life, Alex knew that best. And all he had wanted to do here was prove that he was over her. To prove that his lust for power surpassed all others.

_If I truly want power more than anything else, I have to let her go._

But he couldn't. As a young man, something inside him had always had a soft spot for Mia. That something came back to him now, after all the anger, all the pain, he still had that soft spot. But she was gone. Never again would he see that blue sparkle in her eyes, never again would he fail to speak in her presence. Only minutes ago, in life, he had not wanted her. But now he knew the error of his ways.

_Nothing was ever more important to me than her._

Then, at the saddest point in his life, at the most unwelcome time possible, there came a loud knock on the throne room door. The sound jarred him. He had forgotten that there was a world outside of this room. He gave no answer to the knock, and without warning, the door burst open.

Maskah burst into the room, followed by a stumbling Piers, who's head was in a black cloth bag. Alex stood up at this sudden entrance.

Maskah stopped in his tracks as he saw Mia's body. It distracted him for a moment, but he had come with a purpose, and that took priority. "Master," he declared.

Alex had to appear composed, he could not show weakness. He took a deep breath, glancing at Piers, and answered, "Yes, Maskah?"

Maskah grabbed Piers by the collar and dragged him forward, "This adept…he managed to find a way out of his cell," Maskah grinned as he thought of how pleased his master would be, "I caught him trying to release the girl. I threatened her, and he came quietly," he sneered, looking at the cloth bag covering Piers' face.

Normally, this would have surprised Alex. For one, he had specifically told his soldiers to keep the two adepts separate. And not only that, he had thought his cell locks would have put up resistance to ice.

But he was in no mood for any of this. His mind was slowly crumbling to depression as his thoughts turned back to Mia. He had no desire to talk to Maskah, nor did he feel he had to punish Piers.

Alex sighed, "Take him from me, Maskah. Lock him up in a cell far away from the girl, and with a stronger lock this time."

Maskah looked strangely at his master. Usually, he took any opportunity to punish the adepts, and this was certainly a break in character. But Maskah was there to follow orders, and he turned towards the door, grabbing Piers again. He opened the door, but a question burned to be asked and Maskah turned back to Alex, Piers still in the doorway, "Is the blue-haired girl dead?"

Alex, who's gaze had fallen back to Mia, snapped his head up and hissed, "What did you say?"

Maskah, starting to think he had angered his master, quietly asked again, "Is the girl dead?"

Then Piers, who had been silent, spoke out through the mask, distressed, "Mia?!?"

Alex seethed, how dare Maskah question him, how dare Piers say her name? In life and in death, Mia was his! Anger boiling over, he yelled at the insolent man, "Get out!!"

Shocked, Maskah quickly turned away and pushed Piers out. He stumbled out, scared at his master's anger.

Alex watched as the door slammed shut. His anger slowly left as he looked back at Mia.

A wave of hopelessness came over him then, as the silence suffocated around him. He realized then, what it was all about. His empire, his rise to power, it was all nothing. She had been the reason for his anger, the reason he left to pursue a life in power. He fell to his knees as the hopelessness took his strength. He stared at her, tears forming in his eyes. He was disgusted at himself for showing emotion, but he knew there was nothing but emotion left. There was no point in continuing. What would be the objective? To kill Isaac? He meant nothing to Alex.

_He may have stolen my power, but it was a power I did not need._

Mia had been his whole life. And by stealing hers, he jeopardized his own. He lacked the will to continue.

_It would be so easy to end it now._

But he had come so far…

Then, in a blinding flash of realization, he knew what he had to do. There was only one person who he could talk to, one person he needed.

Sheba.


	36. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

Isaac stood there, staring at the note, reading it to himself over and over. He wanted to feel shocked at this. Maskah had taken four of his companions from him, taking them to Tolbi for an unknown fate. But he found that he could not feel shocked anymore. It was not that he wasn't surprised, but what he felt was overhelming resolve. His path, unwillingly, had been set for him. And it was time for him to walk that path, even though he had no idea what would be the end of it.

He looked around at the other three there beside him. Garet, his best friend, had always been there in his toughest times. Jenna, his wife, the one true love in his life. And Ivan, the once strange young boy, now a wise and trustworthy young man. This would be his party for the path ahead. They would fight together. For their lost families, for their stolen companions, and for the well-being of Weyard.

In that moment of utter resolve, Isaac spoke, "You realize what we must do now," the glossed gaze was gone from their eyes, they did understand, "We will fight Maskah and Alex. We will storm Tolbi and get our comrades back. We will get Felix back. We will avenge the loss of our families," Isaac was overflowing with confidence now, "and we will save Weyard from the corruption it faces."

As he spoke, for the first time, he felt in truth as the leader of this party. It was as if the revelation had hit him square on, with all these events transpiring, it was time for him to step up. He drew his Sol Blade, Felix's Sol Blade, and turned south, the sword glinting in the western sun.

"We will travel to Contigo," he declared, looking around at the others.

Their faces of determination told Isaac all he needed to know. He knew now that they would not lose again to Maskah. Battle-toughened, they would fight to the death, with the fury and determination that once made them heroes.

"Let's go," declared Garet, distain in his voice, "I'm not spending another minute in this filthy town."

They all nodded, and Isaac started to walk, the sun setting to his right. They would travel through the night, and nobody would argue. Speed was of essence now.

_Who knows what Alex has planned for those four…_

The sky was dark and the stars were twinkling above them when they arrived at the ship on the other side of Shaman Village Cave.

Isaac, deep down, was somewhat surprised that the ship was still there. Maskah surely had made a tactical error in leaving it for them. By taking it, he could have stranded them on Hesperia, or at least delayed them while they attempted to find a ship.

_Then again, perhaps he really does want us to get to Contigo._

Isaac would not be afraid if Maskah was there waiting for them in Contigo. Whether they faced him sooner or later, they would be ready. Ready to show him what they were made of.

They all boarded the ship, and stumbled in the dark to assume their positions. Piloting this ship was quite easy, as Isaac had learned sailing Babi's Lemurian ship five years ago, chasing Felix's party and the elemental stars. Now, it had become even easier with the Hover Jade, which luckily was in Ivan's possession.

Isaac assumed his spot at the helm, and at the same time Ivan raised his palm, a purple haze emitting from it. "Hover," he muttered quickly. All four of them felt their psynergy drain a little as the ship rose ten, then twenty feet into the air. Isaac took the wheel and they were off, moving faster than any normal ship with ease.

Garet then said aloud what Isaac was thinking of the same time, "I guess anyone can pilot a flying ship, huh?"

And through all the determination and resolve, all the seriousness, Isaac still grinned widely and laughed aloud, manoevering the ship between two mountains.

It was still dark when they reached Atteka Islet. To save psynergy they may need, Isaac lowered the ship safely to rest in the islet. It was here where the ship had been given its wings, its ability to fly. They all grabbed their weapons and got off the ship. The sky was just starting to lighten as they took off for Contigo. Isaac led the way along the quiet path. It was still somewhat strange to see the continents so empty. There were no signs of human life at all in the islet, and it was somewhat disturbing. But they continued, not missing a stride along the narrow path of sand.

The sun rose to their right as they traveled north. Slowly, the world became bright, dew clinging to each blade of grass they stepped over. So much had changed, but the passing of day and night would never change. It was somewhat of an encouraging thought as Contigo finally came into view for the adepts.

As they approached, there was no clear sign of human life. But there was also no sign of destruction. Off in the distance, Isaac saw a curious blue gleam he had never seen before. It was in front of the town, but they were still too far to make out what it was.

Suddenly, as they walked still closer, Isaac started to feel uncomfortable. The blue gleam appeared to be a human form, a person in blue clothing slumped on the ground.

Isaac walked slower, staring at the increasingly apparent figure before him. He could not take his eyes away as they walked closer still, the long blue hair, the pale face. He knew that face…

Isaac ran. He ran towards Mia. Then, in a horrifying moment, he realized the mechanics of his vision. He was close enough to see now…it was sickening…devastating…

He felt his breath leave him as he fell to his knees in front of her…

Mia was slumped on the ground, dead. A wooden stake had been hammered through her heart, a piece of parchment hanging off its end.

The ground of Contigo was stained with her blood.


	37. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

The world was becoming a cold place for Alex. He had lost all hope and as he walked out of the accursed throne room, he remembered once again what he had lost. As grief overtook him, his knees buckled and he fell to the floor.

He wept. He wept for Mia, for his one true love. He wept for his wasted life, a life spent searching for power he did not really desire. He had wanted power, yes, but more so he wanted someone to stand beside him. He had never felt true love, but he was convinced there was only one for him. And now she was gone.

But he knew what must be done. He could not take his own life, not yet at least. The grief was so great, and there was nothing left except a false power, it would be so easy to just end it all. But there was one thing he had to do. He had to find out how this all would end. And for that, he needed Sheba.

He picked himself up off the ground, no more tears were needed to explain how he felt. He set off slowly for the dungeons. He had to know that if kept alive, how would his life turn out? The curiosity had always intrigued him, and it did now more than ever. Alex had lost Mia, and to know if there was something left for him in this life was necessary.

He reached the staircase. There were three levels of dungeons in this castle. He had left the top one empty, at least for now. The second one had the families of Vale and Vault. Alex had not felt it was necessary to kill them, so he kidnapped them and housed them in cells here in the dungeon. He was sure that the remaining adepts thought that their families were dead. The men and women, starved in their cells, were not dead…yet.

Finally, in the deepest dungeons, the farthest underground, is where Alex held the adepts. It was dark, making it difficult for Alex to see which cell Sheba was in. Finally, near the end of the long hallway, he found her. She was in the fetal position, relaxed, unconscious, and obviously very weak. Alex was pleasantly surprised at how weakened the girl was from Maskah's mind slavery. Her face was pale and at first glance, she looked many years past her age. He felt a twinge of regret at making her go through all the pain, but it was necessary in the end. It was the mind slavery that would allow her to see his future.

Alex leaned up against the bars, and whispered to the quiet body inside, "Sheba…"

As if a switch had been turned on, Sheba turned over violently to face Alex, her eyes wide with fear. Her mouth opened for a moment. It looked as if she was trying to say something, but the only sound that came out was a quiet, distressed moan.

Alex just stared at her. He had to hear a valid response before they were to continue. Sheba closed her mouth, then opened it again, this time uttering a single word, "You." The voice was certainly her own, but it was filled with shock and fear.

Alex maintained a careless tone, not wanting to show any ego and especially not any emotion. "Sheba, I need your help," he whispered.

Sheba did not give a response right away. She just lay there for a moment, burning into his eyes with that glazed stare. Then she trembled and asked, "Where is he?"

Alex knew, of course, who she meant. Maskah. She feared him with all the life she had left. The power he now held over her was so strong, it convinced her that his mere presence had the potential to kill her. Alex's answer was finite, "He is not here. He will not come."

Sheba stopped trembling and let out the smallest of sighs. She looked up at Alex, the fear was not as strong, but it was still there. She feared him, for obvious reasons. Her memory had not been erased, and the memories of Alex's misdeeds were certainly there. Alex wanted her to be less fearful, wanted to seem less powerful than she thought he was.

Sheba spoke again, her voice rough and trembling, "W-what do you want?"

Alex just looked at her for a moment, taking her in. It was a sad sight to behold. He hoped that all of this was worth it, that he would get what he wanted out of this. "I need a vision. A vision of my future."

Sheba sat up, seemingly intrigued. She sat cross-legged, looking up at Alex's shadow in the dark, "I-it is difficult for me to simply...predict a person's future."

Alex was somewhat dismayed, "Will you be able to?" he asked, trying hard to keep the careless tone intact.

Sheba sat there, staring at the ground, deep in thought. Alex watched her, watching her train of thought. Finally, she looked up, "I can try."

Alex gave a slight smile, hidden from Sheba in the darkness, "What do I have to do?"

Sheba, seeming to have more energy with the promise of a challenge, started to stand up but stopped, and sat back down. Unsure, she asked, "Are you sure he's not coming?"

"He is not," Alex replied monotonously.

Sheba then stood up, and walked up to the bars. She appeared more comfortable with his presence now. She feared him, but with the promise of Maskah's absence, she was at ease with Alex. She put out her hand, still inside the cell, "Give me your hand."

Alex put out his left hand, not wanting to give Sheba his right palm, just in case. But Sheba quickly corrected him, "Your other hand."

Reluctantly, Alex gave her his right hand. She took it in her own right hand. Sheba then closed her eyes, going into a mode of concentration. A purple haze appeared around their connected hands. "I want you to clear your mind." said Sheba.

_A tall order._

But as he felt the presence of wind in his head, he felt calmed, and all thought left him. All thought of Mia, of his wasted life left, leaving his mind completely empty. He closed his eyes.

Sheba concentrated harder, the grip on his hand tightening. She started to talk again, "Clear your mi-," then without warning, a wave of words exploded out of Sheba, the words loud and fast, "Blinding light…falling through clear sky…neverending field…"

Alex's eyes snapped open. The hallway they were in was engulfed in a purple haze. Through it, he could see Sheba. Her eyes were wide open, her pupils slits. The skin on her face was stretched over hollow cheeks. As Alex took in the terrifying sight before him, Sheba's words slowed, "You will live…outside of reality…outside of pain…inside the essence, the emotions." she seemed overwhelmed by the vision, her eyes popping as her words sped up once again, "Spirit…burning passion…essence…" Then, she stopped, and just stood there, her lips sealed shut. The haze became thicker, and Alex lost the ability to see. It seemed like forever that they stood, only feet away from each other, but unable to see. Finally, one word came to Alex, one word escaped Sheba's lips, quiet and fearful, "Spirit."

Alex felt his eyes shut against his will, and felt the grip on his hand break. When he opened his eyes, the haze had faded. Sheba was lying on the floor of her cell, her eyes shut, she had passed out.

All Alex could hear was the sound of his own heavy breathing.

_What the hell was that?_

Was that his future? It seemed prophetic, but it made no sense to Alex. It had all happened so fast. The only feeling left from it was a rush of excitement. As his breathing slowed, his thoughts turned to his future. And as he thought about how this vision could change his plans, his intrigue grew.

The vision Sheba had preached made Alex's future seem very exciting. But this vision also had nothing to do with Tolbi, which Alex had not expected.

_I want nothing to do with Tolbi anyway._

It was true, after all he had been through, Tolbi seemed like a thing of the past. He needed to get out. Out of the influence of the monster he had created. Intrigue and excitement drowned out hopelessness and sorrow. Mia was dead, but he would not die now, not here. He would leave Tolbi.

It was time for a new adventure.


	38. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

Spirit.

The word resounded in Alex's ears as he turned his back on Sheba's motionless body. The vision she had given him had been delivered in a shocking manner, and Alex kept playing it over and over in his head. Burning passion, living inside the essence, the contents of the vision seemed cryptic and made little sense. But that last word, spirit, it had been delivered in such a way to give him hope.

As Alex reached the staircase he took one look back at Sheba. She would wake up, she would strengthen, and Isaac would come for her. Sheba's future was bright, and as Alex turned away, his last hope was that he had not tampered with that.

Alex took the stairs two at a time. It was so strange, how his emotions seemed to jump around uncontrollably. In a short time he had gone from fury to intense grief and now to excitement. But he felt now that he was in control of his future. He would leave Tolbi behind, but there were many things to attend to first.

First, he had to find Maskah. He felt a pang of guilt for leaving at the peak of the empire's power. And even though it was an empire he did not want, he still didn't want to see it crumble immediately. He was still proud of what he had built and wanted to see it guarded to the end. For that, he needed to give a visit to his right hand man.

On the main floor, he found the door to Maskah's quarters of the castle. This part of the castle was once living space for the many visitors Babi would allow inside. But the dozen beds had been taken out, and as Alex entered the room he took in what it had become.

Like the rest of the castle, the walls had been turned to polished white stone. It was a large room, but very much empty. The only piece of furniture in the room was an old wooden desk in the center of the room. The desk was laden with old pieces of parchment, strewn all over its surface. Behind the desk, in an equally old chair, sat Maskah.

At the sight of Alex's entrance, Maskah quickly stood up and inclined his head slightly as a sign of respect, "Master."

"Maskah," Alex replied. He knew that the primary objective of this conversation would be to give Maskah complete control of the troops and the prisoners without revealing his intent to desert the empire he had worked so hard to build. Cautiously, Alex began, "I am here to reward you, Maskah."

Maskah, surprised by this, inclined his head again, "Thank you master. May I ask what for?"

"Well, I wanted to reward you for stopping the young adept from escaping. But more so, I wanted to reward you for your service. You have done quite well."

Once again Maskah inclined his head, "Thank you master. I live only to serve."

Alex nodded, "Maskah, I am giving you control of Tolbi's soldiers. I am also giving you responsibility for the prisoners in the dungeons. I have matters of my own to attend to."

Maskah's eyes opened wide and gleamed at Alex's reward, "Master, I thank you greatly. I will not fail you."

Alex pretended not to notice his pleasure, "I am going to deal with the remaining adepts. You understand, don't you?"

Maskah nodded, but it made no sense to him. He made his thoughts vocal, "But aren't we setting a trap for the four coming to Kalay?"

Alex side-stepped the question, answering him in a dangerous tone, "Dare you question me, Maskah? The plan is still in effect. That is why I am giving you control of the troops. But I have a plan of my own to…slow them down."

"Yes, master. I trust your word," Maskah replied, returning to obedience.

"Good," Alex turned to the door, but as he opened it a thought struck him and he turned back, "Maskah, one more thing. In the throne room there is the body of the blue-haired girl. Bury her outside the castle."

Maskah inclined his head for the last time, "It will be done."

Alex turned away from him and spoke the last words he would speak to Maskah, "Attend to that now." He left the room, and strode back towards the dungeons. Now he needed to speak to Piers. He needed to tell someone his true intentions were, and who better than a fellow water adept?

Someone had to know, and surely Piers would not tell Maskah. Alex did not quite understand why he felt he had to tell someone, but it felt right. And really, it did not matter as long as Maskah did not know.

Alex entered the staircase again, this time getting out at the first level of cells. He knew that Maskah would move Piers to the abandoned set of cells on the first level and sure enough, Piers was there in a cell near the middle of the row.

At the sight of Alex, Piers jumped up and ran to the bars. He was clearly furious, "What have you done with Mia!?!" he screamed in distress.

Alex answered calmly, "She is dead." He was bothered by the ease in which he said her name, but decided to keep his emotions in check, something he had not done in a long time.

Piers just stared at him for a moment, his eyes wet and still angry, "You…how could you?"

Alex expected this kind of reaction from Piers, who was clearly a loyal friend, "I assure you, I share the grievance you feel. Her death was a lamentable accident."

Piers' nostrils flared, cursing as a single tear fell down his cheek, "Of course you would say that," he spat, resentment in every word.

Alex was taken aback by Piers' words and just continued, "Piers, I do not come here to fight you, nor do I come here to try to console you for Mia's death. I come to deliver a message and a token of peace."

Alex drew his sword, which always was attached to his belt. He took it with both hands and spoke while looking down at it, "This is the Hydros Blade. It is one of a kind and can only be forged from a water stone found deep beneath the Western Sea. It is my blade, I have had it since I left Prox with Saturos and Menardi," he then passed the blade through the bars, offering it to Piers, "I give it to you as a sign of peace. I know it will not heal the wound caused by Mia's death, but I hope it will cool your anger just enough to hear my message."

Piers just stared at him incredulously, amazed that Alex actually expected him to take this sword. He did not want to take it, he wanted to cause Alex as much pain as was possible. His anger was indescribable. But he knew that he could not harm Alex on his own. He would get his revenge, or so he hoped. But now was not the time nor the place. So, without words, he took the sword and without a belt, placed it on the floor of the cell.

Alex began again, "I am leaving Piers."

Piers, who was looking down at the spectacular blade, looked up, "What?"

"I am telling you because I believe Isaac will come for you. I will not stop him, I am leaving Tolbi forever."

Piers could not believe what he was hearing, "You're…leaving?" He didn't know this man well, but from what had transpired over the past year he expected Alex to at least stay and fight.

Alex continued, pretending not to hear Piers, "When Isaac asks where I am, tell him I have left. Tell him not to pursue me."

"He will follow you to the death," Piers retorted, "and I will follow him. You do not expect us to forgive you, do you?"

"I do not expect forgiveness. I am here only to deliver a message. And it has been delivered," Alex turned his back to Piers, "tell Isaac what I said. And keep the sword. I won't be needing it."

And with that, he walked away. Piers watched from his cell as the man who had caused so much pain simply left. As he turned back into the cell, his thoughts turned to Mia and he was taken with sorrow. She was dead.

Alex walked briskly out of the dungeons. It was time to leave this place. The last thing he needed to do was grab a few things from the throne room and make sure that Mia had been taken care of.

He followed the stone hallway upstairs to the throne room, no sign of Maskah. He walked quickly into the throne room, composed but excited. Maskah was not in the throne room, and neither was Mia. It had been taken care of. Alex secretly hoped that she would get a proper burial. She was a good spirit, and certainly it was the least she deserved.

He turned left and went down a short staircase to his sleeping quarters. Babi had once slept here, and so did all the leaders of Tolbi at one point. It was Alex's now and entering the room, he expected to see it empty. But he had forgotten the orders he had given mere hours ago. In all his preparation, he had forgotten one man.

Felix lay on his back on Alex's bed, deep in slumber.

Alex had completely forgotten about Felix. His initial plan was to have Felix wake imprisoned in a part of the castle no one expected him to be. But all of Alex's initial plans had been thrown out with Mia's death.

He stood over the bed, looking down at the still body before him.

_What do I do with Felix?_

He could easily put him in a cell and have him wake there. But something stopped him from doing this. He thought about the history he shared with Felix. It had been a long and strange trip. Even when his spite for the adepts had reached a peak, he still had a sense of reverance for Felix.

Alex had always admired Felix's sense of leadership. They both had been alone for most of their lives, solitary figures in very different worlds. But Felix, at Mars Lighthouse five years ago, had proven an unwavering sense of leadership over the other seven adepts in his party. It was this leadership and the ability for it to bring the others together that allowed the adepts to defeat the fabled Doom Dragon. It was this leadership that had set Felix apart in Alex's eyes.

For some reason, he did not want to let Felix out of his control. Alex was about to leave on a journey of discovery, a journey that could begin a new life for himself. Felix's life had been dictated by the doubt he felt inside himself, his self-consciousness. He was in dire need of a new direction.

It came to Alex then, but the idea did not shock him. Rather, the idea seemed right, it seemed inevitable. He would take Felix with him. He would give Felix a new start.

And when he awoke, he would be on a ship drifting on the Great Sea.

Alex considered it a gift. No one knew better than him the conflict that Felix felt in his heart and mind.

Deep inside, both of them did not want to be part of the war developing between Tolbi and the remaining adepts. The war itself was not pure, no petty social or economic benefits would come from it. They would leave this place, be free of the conflict.

Alex reached out and picked Felix up, putting him into his own arms. He was not too heavy and luckily Alex was stronger than the average man. Alex could carry him to the ship. His own Lemurian ship.

They would travel the ocean. Alex needed to find himself. It was time to get out. And Alex turned his back on the room he had kept for the past year. Felix in his arms, he turned his back on everything he once knew. Excited and inspired by a new beginning, Alex's face broke into a genuine smile.

It was time to leave

Outside the castle, Maskah stood with the body of Mia in his arms. His order was to bury here. But he had no such intention of doing so.

He was about to send a message to Isaac.


	39. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

The ground of Contigo was the product of hundreds of years of dry weather. It was mostly clay, providing unexpected comfort for the weary feet of the priests guarding Anemos Sanctum. In the rare patch of tan soil, the odd blade of grass, as brown as the ground around it, could be seen. Near the front of the town, at the entrance, the grass began to get a lighter shade of tan as the land turned from clay to forest. That tan grass, appearing dead in the midday sun, carried a great weight on this day. It carried the red burden of human blood. Mia's blood.

Isaac could not get himself up. He simply kneeled there and took in the sick sight before him. He wanted to look away, wanted to run far from the dry accursed ground. It felt like a punch in the face. Only moments after Isaac's greatest moment of confidence, he was here allowing the profound images of his friend's dead body to sink into his sub-conscious.

He had feared this day. He feared the day that he would open his eyes and find one of his friends, a member of his party, dead. He had hoped they would all die in their sleep, after they all had grown older. But in the back of his mind, he knew that it could not happen. Alex would never have let them enter Tolbi unscathed. But here they were, hundreds of fathoms away from Tolbi, and already two of his best friends were dead.

Wanting to let out some of the intense pain he felt, he reached out and snatched the piece of parchment on the end of the stake. This undoubtably was the directions sent to them from Alex. He opened it up, and found a familiar scrawl. Maskah's.

It was then that Isaac felt the other three around him. They too could not move, simply standing there, shocked by the sight before them. He heard a sob from Jenna. But he could not face them. He just kneeled there, holding the note in clenched hands, watching a tear fall onto the sheet. It was wrong, all wrong. They were supposed to face Alex together, all eight of them. But now Mia was dead before them, and Felix's body had been taken.

He looked back at the sheet. The ink had been smudged by his tear, but it was still legible. He could not read it aloud, so he read it to himself, trying with difficulty to let the words sink in.

_Isaac,_

_Nothing has changed since our last meeting. As promised, this message has been delivered to you in Contigo. I hope that the method in which this letter was presented is an awakening to my master's true intent. But onto the instructions._

_My master still expects your prompt arrival to Tolbi. But first, a conference will be needed in Kalay. We require a discussion concerning the state of your fellow adepts and your kidnapped families._

_You will meet me in Kalay. My master will meet with you at that time. You have three days. If you do not arrive at that time, more casualties will be necessary._

_Expecting your prompt arrival,_

_Maskah_

The instructions, trustworthy or not, were very straight-forward. The one surprise was the news concerning their families. Perhaps it was a slip of the mind, perhaps it was put there on purpose, but Maskah had told them in this letter that their families of Vale were still alive. For Isaac, it was but a glimmer of hope in a moment of his life that was still dominated by loss.

He turned away from Mia's horrific body, not able to look at it any longer. He faced the other three, whose faces were pale after what they had seen. He did not know what to say to them, what he could do to console them. So he didn't. "Our families are alive," he spoke simply, not surprised by the crack in his voice.

Their faces did not change. Garet raised his head a touch, but that was the only answer Isaac would get.

Next to him, Jenna was still staring at the body before her, unable to look away. She broke her stare for a moment and looked at Isaac, her eyes begging for answers, "Why?" she asked, her voice quiet and weak.

Isaac felt her need for answers and tried his best to give her one, "Alex is trying to intimidate us. He knows our weakness, the attachment we feel towards each other. He is cruelly exploiting that. Mia is…" he gulped, not wanting to say it, not wanting to finalize it with his words, "Mia is dead."

His speech of sorts did not raise any heads. But it did make them remember, remember the great young woman that Mia was in life. In that moment of reflection, there was a silence that could not be broken. No one made eye contact with each other, they all kept their heads bowed, remembering her poise in battle, her infectious smile.

It seemed to last forever, but Ivan broke the quiet with a solemn statement, "She deserves a proper burial."

Isaac looked up at Ivan, and their eyes met. His eyes were wet and Isaac felt pity for Ivan, who everyone forgot was younger than the others. But his suggestion was a good one, and Isaac whole-heartedly agreed. "We should," he said, nodding. The others seemed to agree as well.

And in silence, they approached Mia. Without words, they took the wooden stake out of Mia, and Jenna closed her still-open wounds with psynergy. It was gruesome work, but it was work for a purpose. It was as if Isaac was not there, he was off in the past, when she had been in their party, fighting as their formidable healer. She had been a great friend, and Isaac would never forget how she had saved his life on many occasions.

After several minutes that felt like hours, Garet had completed digging a grave with a shovel they had found in the inn. Jenna and Ivan had prepared the body. They would bury her in front of the storied town, a town where their party had experienced many highs and many lows.

Slowly, Garet and Isaac lowered her into the hole in the ground.

Feeling the need to say something, Isaac looked around at the three somber faces surrounding him and said weakly, "I'm going to say something," as the attention turned to him he felt his voice grow stronger, "I'm not just saying it to you though…I'm saying it to her as well," he paused for a moment, wanting to choose exactly the right words, "…I know not all of our party is here, but that was not by our choice. He made the decision to break us apart, to hurt our morale and our strength in numbers. Then, he threatened us by killing her…" he gulped as he looked down at Mia's body, now six feet below him, "Who knows what he's done with Piers or Sheba. But I for one do not want to find out. We have to go to Tolbi, now, and stop this madness. With this…detour, we've given Alex time to prepare, time that we did not have to give him. He will be expecting us now, and we will have to beat him under those circumstances…I want you all to know…he has not broken my morale."

The words seemed uplifting, even to the man who had spoken them. They all knew that this horrible act could not stop them, they had to continue, and not look back until their job was done.

Isaac turned to face the east. It would be a long journey until they arrived at Kalay. He hoped in his heart that they all would be ready for who waited for them there.


	40. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

One day passed.

Isaac stood at the helm of the ship, looking out at the open sea. He felt calm in that moment. Little had happened since their party left Contigo and Mia. The attitude had been extremely somber up to this point, with very little discussion on any topic. But they had begun traveling the path set for them. They were in the middle of the Great Western Sea, about three quarters of the way from Atteka to Gondowan. They first had to get to the western coast of Gondowan, then follow the coast north until they reached a small opening of land where they could get out of the ship and complete their journey to Kalay. They were close, Isaac felt it. Close to the end.

But they had one last subject to discuss before they reached their dock point at Gondowan. In his heart, Isaac did not really think that traveling directly to Kalay would prove to be that smart of a decision. He wanted to get there by another route, to make sure that Maskah or Alex had not set a trap for them. He had an idea, but he wanted to share it with the others to make sure it was a good one. Isaac left the helm and headed towards the inside, where the others were already.

He passed the wheel of the ship, steering itself towards Gondowan. Isaac couldn't surpress a smile as he thought about Piers and how he had put aside so much effort in making this ship special. And Isaac knew that after this was all over, Piers would get his ship back.

Isaac entered the inside of the ship, where Garet and Ivan were facing each other at the table, appearing to be in silent conversation. "Hey," said Isaac casually, breaking the silence, "Do you guys know where Jenna is?"

"She's in one of the rooms," answered Ivan, "she said she needed time to think."

Isaac wasn't really surprised as he turned to Garet and asked, "Do you think you could get her for me? I kind of had something I wanted to discuss."

Garet, however, did not move, only looking back at Isaac and replying, "Maybe you should…"

Ivan piped in, as if this had been something the two of them had discussed, "She's been really distraught since Contigo. She wants to spend all her time alone."

Garet shook his head, "I've never seen her like this."

It was then that Isaac realized that through all that had happened, he had not considered nor spent enough time with Jenna. He had been so distracted by trying to be the leader, he had just passed off the emotions of his significant other as the 'party's morale'. He knew now that he had to talk to her, he had to set things straight.

"I'll go talk to her…" said Isaac firmly, "Will you guys be here when I get back?"

"I hope so," answered Garet, with the slightest of smirks.

Isaac almost smiled, but somehow he couldn't. He simply walked past the table and towards the small staircase leading to the rooms below. When he reached the hallway, sure enough Jenna was behind the first door he tried.

She was on the bed, lying on her back, just staring distracted at the ceiling. Her eyes and face were red, she had clearly been crying. At Isaac's arrival, she turned over and faced him, whispering a soft, "Hi."

"Hey," answered Isaac comfortingly, still standing in the doorway, "Can I come in?"

She just nodded her head.

Isaac didn't know quite where to start as he sat down at the foot of her bed but he figured the words would find their way of coming out, "…I realize I haven't invested as much time in us lately…but I want to make it up to you. I think I know what's been bothering you, so why don't you say it?"

"It's Felix…" she answered, her voice faulting, "I can't believe he's gone."

Isaac had not forgotten Felix, and could understand what Jenna felt. He was her brother, and although Isaac did not exactly know what it felt like to lose a brother, he knew what it felt like to lose family. "I know it's hard, but we have to move on. We have to beat this."

Jenna was still reluctant though, "I know we do. But he's my brother and I thought…I thought he'd always be there for me."

Isaac didn't quite know what to say, "I know," he answered simply.

Isaac simply stared at the floor, feeling her gaze burning on his lowered head. He knew she was looking for support, but it was support he had never known how to give. He himself had not dealt with so much loss in so little time, and he knew how Jenna felt. He just couldn't translate his thoughts into words.

Jenna spoke again in a curious tone, almost accusing in her delivery, "You're just like he was. He…he could never deal in those tough situations where swords had no meaning."

Isaac looked up, surprised at this. He remembered what Sheba had told him, how being the leader had changed Felix as a person. Was that happening to him? He certainly felt different, the pressure of having to deliver was almost too much to bear. But he refused to believe this, refused to believe he was becoming Felix. Jenna was in grief, she was supposed to say things like this. Isaac had to bring her back down to earth now, "I know it's tough for you to deal," he said roughly, knowing full well he sould be more comforting, "but we need to move on. Now come on upstairs, we need to talk about what we're doing next."

Jenna just looked at him, with an almost incredulous look. Isaac knew now he was different, but it was not for the worst. He had to be a strong leader, he had to plan for victory, and nobody would stop him.

He stood up and walked to the door. Not hearing her following footsteps, he turned back to her, "Come on. We're all waiting for you." He was surprised by the tone in his voice, he didn't think he would sound this agitated given the situation. But what was more surprising still is that Jenna responded, standing up and walking out the door before him. But there was no eye contact. Isaac knew now that he had made a grievous mistake, he had sacrificed their relationship for the good of the party. Yet, it almost felt right. Like it was necessary, part of the plan. Feeling somewhat relieved by this resolution, he followed Jenna out the door and back upstairs, where the others were still waiting.

As they appeared, Garet and Ivan slowly raised their heads, automatically looking at Jenna, who was still clearly downtrodden. The two of them approached the table, but not before Isaac grabbed a large scroll and brought it to the table with him.

With all four of them around the table, Isaac knew it was time to discuss his plan. He unrolled the scroll to reveal a map of Weyard, "Alright," he sighed, "I guess we have to talk about exactly how we're going to go about doing this."

He was not given the courtesy of an expression of interest so he chose to continue, "The letter giving us directions to Tolbi put us on a path towards Kalay. But I feel like right now is not the time we want to start trusting Alex. So we need a backup plan, to avoid any trap they may have set for us."

"Sounds good…" mumbled Ivan.

"Any ideas?" asked Garet unenthusiastically.

Annoyed by their lack of interest, Isaac answered, "I did, actually. We could avoid Kalay altogether by traveling to the Gondowan Caves south of the city. We can regroup there and make a choice, whether to storm Tolbi or walk into a guarded Kalay."

The others just nodded sullenly.

With annoyance boiling over, Isaac said angrily, "You know, you guys could show at least a little enthusiasm. The hardest part of our quest is still ahead of us and even though we've been through tough times, we need to focus on the road ahead."

Ivan answered, "Don't you get it? Two of our friends are dead. And you're trying to push us ahead like nothing's happened."

Isaac was really peeved now. First they showed a lack of interest at his idea and now they question his leadership? He had to set the story straight, right now, "As long as you follow me, you should know that I'm not going to look at yesterday. I'm going to focus on today and tomorrow. In my mind, nothing has happened." He knew it sounded wrong, and that it would be interpreted to sound like he didn't care. But he could not correct himself now so he turned on his heel and walked out of the room, back onto the deck.

He looked out at the horizon, the sun setting after what had proved to be a costly day. Isaac thought about what he had said, to Jenna and to the others. He had not meant to say those things, yet they seemed to flow out of him. Perhaps all this leadership was going to his head, perhaps he really was becoming more like Felix was. Confusion setting in as he watched the fiery sun dissolve in the sky, he looked back to the sparkling water.

_Who have I become?_


	41. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39**

Isaac looked out onto the promising horizon, with the sun rising to his right as the ship finally came in sight of Tolbi. It was in the distance as Isaac gazed to the east, but it was within his line of vision. Although almost nothing was visible from this far away as the ship hugged the coast, Isaac could make out something that did nothing to raise his already low spirits. The city of Tolbi was clearly no longer a large town on the shores of the Karagol Sea. From what Isaac could see, the city had expanded in every direction. The old buildings were barely visible over the hundreds of tents, no doubt filled with well-equipped soldiers. Isaac stopped to consider Alex's motives as he stared at the now-white city in wonder. All this had been built for the simple purpose of finishing off the remaining adepts. It almost seemed like Alex was over-doing it.

It was Alex's obviously deep desire for revenge that feared Isaac. It appeared he would stop at nothing to kill all of them and become the sole power over Weyard. Isaac wondered if the others were as worried as he was and whether they were aware of just how little confidence Isaac now had.

There was one thing that Isaac knew though, and that was if they were going to overcome the odds, if the four of them were going to defeat a thousand soldiers, they had to be together. He knew his communication skills were going to be questioned after last night, but if the others were to see that he was leading by example, they all would be better off.

In the quiet of the morning, Isaac heard the creak of a door behind him and turned around to see Garet, stony-faced and bleary-eyed. Their eyes met and Garet mumbled, "G'mornin'"

"Hey," Isaac answered as Garet walked up next to him.

They both stood there in silence looking out at the mist over the water. Seemingly rejuvenated, Garet broke the silence, "I can't believe I got any sleep last night. With all the stuff that's happened I really shouldn't be able to, you know?"

Isaac looked over at Garet curiously. After last night, he didn't expect Garet to talk to him, much less look to strike up a conversation. Looking back out at the water, Isaac answered, "I know. It's tough for me too."

Garet looked over at Isaac, "I never expected it to be like this. Just the four of us."

"Yeah," Isaac answered, pausing for a moment, "but I guess this is the way it has to be."

Garet nodded and it was quiet once again. The ship, still hugging the coast, started turning right. They were coming close to their docking point. The two of them just looked out at the water, not knowing what to talk about after all the trying events of the past few days. Once again, it was Garet who broke the silence, "Look," he said, pausing, "what you said last night. I understand where you're coming from. It's got to be tough being the leader after all of this, with all of us still depressed. I want you to know I'm behind you, no matter what."

Isaac looked at his best friend strangely. He knew what he should be feeling at this time. He was supposed to be thankful, thankful for having such an understanding friend. Yet, this wasn't how he felt. He was almost insulted by how Garet felt like he understood what Isaac was going through. The pressure, the desire to defeat his enemies, Garet had no idea what that felt like. There was no way he could understand. Isaac just stared at Garet for a moment, wanting to say what he felt, wanting to explode with all the emotion he was holding in. But in the end, he held it down for a little while longer and said absently, "Thanks."

Garet smiled at him, "That's what friends are for, right?" he said, patting Isaac on the shoulder, "I'll go wake the others up. It looks like we're just about there."

And with that, he turned and walked back inside, leaving Isaac alone with his thoughts once again.

It was so strange for him to feel like this, unable to find good in the closest moments between him and his best friend. He really was changing, whether he liked it or not. The important part would be not to let any of his emotion slip into words, he had to keep it in no matter what.

As he came to this silent conclusion, he was joined on deck by the other three, with a smiling Garet leading a bleary-eyed Jenna and Ivan. Isaac turned around to meet them, "Hey guys," he said quietly.

Jenna smiled sleepily and Ivan nodded, unable to supress a yawn. "Where are we?" asked Ivan, stretching.

"Actually, we're just about ready to dock. If you want, you guys could start preparing yourselves. We've got a long journey yet on foot before the Gondowan Caves," Isaac answered, glad someone was showing interest.

Ivan nodded at this and with one look out at the quiet sea, turned back inside to get ready. Jenna followed, and Isaac noticed she was not making eye contact with him. He wanted to make things right but knew this was neither the time nor the place.

Garet, clearly already ready for what was ahead of them, stayed on the deck with Isaac, staring out at the blue sea with his hands on his hips. He shook his head, "It never gets old, does it. It's just as beautiful as the first time."

Isaac chuckled, "Remember Garet, the ocean is much bigger than the Karagol Sea."

Garet looked back at him and rolled his eyes, "You know that was a one time mistake. I was young and unaware!"

Isaac smiled, looking back out at the water, "I know. But it does look pretty funny looking back."

Garet smirked, "Oh, and you never made a mistake?"

Isaac laughed, "Garet, you should know me better than that! I am the definition of perfect."

There was a pause, and then they both laughed, glad to share a playful moment on the eve of their greatest journey yet.

Then, without warning, the ship came to a swift halt, the front grinding up onto what could only be land. Isaac and Garet shared a quick look of curiosity before running to the front of the ship. Sure enough, they had found land. It was their docking point.

They had arrived.


	42. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40**

It was somewhat of a relief to be here, in this spot. With their ship docked, they were finally ready to start their journey on foot. Their docking point, as Isaac had purposefully made it, was in a more obscure part of Gondowan. Directly north of them, past a set of mountains, was the town of Loho. Before them was a path leading east, passing north of Tolbi and following the northern coast of the Karagol Sea. It would eventually lead them to the Gondowan Caves, where they could regroup before sneaking their way into Kalay.

Isaac looked up at the afternoon sun and remembered ominously that they did only have three days to get to Kalay, or another of their friends would die. It was not a hopeful thought, but considering it had only taken them one day to get to this point, they were doing quite well. The test was still ahead of them however, and Isaac wondered how much time they would really have to 'regroup'.

In an instant, he was brought back to the present by Garet, who was calling for him from the already-lowered railing. "Do you have everything?" he asked loudly, "Because we should probably get started, right?"

Isaac was more insulted by the question than he should have been. Once again, Garet was out of line. In Isaac's mind, he was in no position to even question Isaac's readiness. But once again, he held his emotion in check and walked up to Garet, giving a quick, "Yeah, I'm ready."

All four of them met at the railing. Jenna, even now, had her head down, not making eye contact with anyone. Isaac wasn't much concerned with her at the moment. More of him was looking forward to actually getting to Kalay to face off against Alex once and for all. They had to get this over, sooner rather than later, and if nobody would follow him he would do it alone.

They all stood there for a moment before Isaac took the lead, saying, "Alright, we have to travel quickly from here on in. So don't take anything you don't need."

Everyone nodded and Isaac finished with turning his back on them, "Let's go." They all got off the ship one by one, almost eager to have their feet on land again. Isaac touched ground first and his legs immediately wobbled a little as they always did. But as soon as the wobbling stopped, Isaac took off, walking quickly and with purpose. He felt the others behind him and smirked knowing that they all shared his sense of determination.

Three hours passed, and the scenery did not change much. They were now on a path, marked with small stones, leading them east. To the south of them was the omnipresence of Tolbi, looming large in their eyes and in their minds. They had not yet reached the coast of the Karagol Sea, as Isaac had hoped they would. He was still in the lead, keeping a quick pace for the others.

Nobody had said anything, but Garet did after a while, "Isaac," he beckoned.

Isaac turned around, walking backwards, not even dreaming of stopping, "Yeah?" Part of him didn't even want to listen because Garet's tone told him all he needed to know about what he was about to ask.

"I think we need to stop for a while," he said, in a tone that seeked unwilling pity, "Jenna's really starting to worry me."

Isaac knew it was coming, knew that eventually the others would prove to be weaker than him. His answer was prepared, "Garet, you have to understand the importance of getting to Kalay quickly. A stop now could separate life from death for Sheba or Piers."

Still trying to keep up with Ivan and a depressed Jenna at his heels, Garet answered, "Getting there quickly won't matter if we're dead tired, Isaac, don't you get it?"

Annoyance boiling over, Isaac replied sarcastically, "Oh yes Garet, I 'get it'. I get that you would rather see your friends dead and be rested than be 'tired'." He wanted to make short of this conversation. Garet was really starting to anger him. "I will not concern myself with this topic any longer. You will follow me until I choose to stop."

He didn't get a response and that was good enough. His message had been received.

The day passed by as they began to follow the coast of a much less spectacular Karagol Sea. Isaac maintained his pace as dusk approached. He felt himself repeatedly looking south, trying to get a good view of Tolbi. As time passed, more of him just wanted to abandon the group and finish the quest, storm Tolbi, and kill the countless soldiers by himself. But he kept his path, traveling east, his desire to keep his captured allies alive surpassing all others.

Behind him, the others still followed. But as the day wore on, and Isaac kept his quick pace, he felt Garet fall one step, then two, then three steps behind him. He had no idea how the other two were doing, nor did he care. Every inch of his being wanted to get to Gondowan Caves as quickly as possible.

The evening sun beat down on him relentlessly as he continued to walk. He could feel himself sweating, but he would not slow down for heat or fatigue, he was bent on getting there, nothing would…

"Isaac!" screamed a voice behind him.

Isaac heard the voice but did not stop. The sun had started to go down and they were almost there, so close…

"Isaac! Stop!" cried the voice, becoming more desperate and more distant.

Isaac recognized the voice, it was Jenna. He was intrigued, Jenna had not spoken since the ship, but he was not intrigued enough to stop.

The voice started to cry, but Isaac only sped up, actually jogging now. He was so close…

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Isaac felt a hand grab his collar, stopping him for a moment. Annoyed by this hinderance, Isaac turned around to fight back. What he saw was Garet, still holding onto his shirt. Isaac was shocked by what he saw as he looked back. Garet was drenched in sweat, and looked angry. Behind him in the distance was a kneeling Ivan with a crying Jenna.

Garet, who had obviously ran to catch up, was trying to catch his breath, doubled over, perspiration dripping on the tan grass below them. Isaac just stood there, wanting to turn around and continue, but also wanting to stay here, frozen in shock at what he had done.

Garet finally looked up at him, and asked incredulously, "Are…you…crazy?", still trying to catch his breath.

Isaac didn't know what to answer, but the words just came out, "We're…so…close."

Garet just stared at him, as if looking at a different person, "Jenna…just collapsed…and you're married…do you even care?"

Isaac didn't answer.

"We need to stop now," Garet said defiantly, "if you want to go, go on ahead. But you're giving yourself the same fate as Felix if you do," he looked at Isaac for a second before continuing, "I don't know what's happened to you, but you're not the Isaac I knew."

The words hurt and Isaac felt the truth hit him square in the chest. The pressure, the singling out, this all was making him into what Felix was, what Sheba had warned against. He had done everything he swore he wouldn't. His confession seemed to pour out of him, "It was being the leader, the pressure was so much…I'm so sorry," he said, shaking his head.

Garet kneeled down, looking Isaac straight in the eyes, "I've only had the best of intentions with my suggestions. And you have to know I'm telling the honest truth when I give this one. All four of us, we're in this together. Just because you call the shots doesn't mean that the pressure's on you. Trust me."

Isaac looked back at him and nodded, thankful for the suggestion and the presence of such a sure friend. His world had been moving so fast and now it has just stopped. He took a deep breath and straightened up, asking Garet, "What happened to Jenna?"

"She just collapsed a while back," he answered, "we were all exhausted, but she hasn't been right all day."

Isaac nodded, and started to walk back. In his mind, he was still confused. How could the pressure be so great that he singled himself out, lashed out at his closest friends, and abandoned them for a common goal? It was a scary thought and he understood now what Felix had been going through leading up to Shaman Village, because now he had gone through the same. But Felix had never looked back, never stopped to see the struggles behind him. Isaac was haunted as he thought of what could have happened if he never looked back, would he have suffered the same fate as Felix?

They walked up to Jenna, who was curled up on the ground, Ivan kneeling over her. He looked up at Isaac cautiously, also giving the look of unfamiliarity. Isaac leaned over her and he could hear sobbing. He tried to get her to respond, "Jenna…it's me…I'm sorry."

She didn't respond but the sobbing ceased.

"I know I was wrong. You were right, I was becoming different. I was becoming him. I'm sorry," Isaac pleaded, genuinely sorry now for how he had blown her off back at the ship.

Jenna uncurled herself and sat up, cross-legged, still looking at the ground, her eyes wet.

Isaac knew she was listening now and, knowing why she had become depressed, tried to console her in the only way he knew how, "I know you mourn for Felix and for Mia. I know that you do not trust me like you used to. But if you follow me, and we do this together, we can put an end to our sufferings and go home with our families. Our time to mourn can be then," he sincerely hoped she understood him, "Do you trust me enough to follow? I promise that as long as I live, nobody else will die."

Jenna looked up at this and their eyes met for the first time in days. He smiled and she immediately knew that he was telling the truth, "I trust you. I will follow if you lead."

Isaac smiled sincerely, "I'll do my best," outstretching his hand to help her up. They all stood there for a moment. All tension was gone and Isaac formally apologized, "I'm sorry for how I've been over the past few days. The deaths have taken a toll on me as well, and I hope you understand."

The others nodded and Isaac was grateful for their forgiveness. He looked up at the darkening sky and then around at their surroundings. The Karagol Sea was behind them now and the mountains were ahead. In these mountains were the Gondowan Caves. They were very close now, but Isaac knew they had to stop for the night after what they all had just gone through.

"Let's stop here for the night," said Isaac, "we will have a full day ahead of us and I know that none of us can travel any more tonight."

The others let out a quiet sigh of relief and Isaac knew they were relieved. It did not take them long to set up for the night. They shared some dried meat and water from Ivan's pack and, immediately drowsy, used their packs as make-shift pillows.

Isaac had not slept for two nights and knew the second his head hit the pillow that he didn't stand a chance. Slowly his eyes closed, his mind free of the conflict that had haunted him, and he fell asleep.

The morning came too quickly after Isaac's dreamless sleep. His eyes opened to the morning sun and the sweet smell of lake water from the west. He stretched, sat up, and was met by the sight of all the others, already packing up.

Startled, Isaac jumped up and looked inquisitively at a packing Jenna. She smiled sweetly at him, greeting him with an enthusiastic, "Good morning!"

Still disoriented, Isaac rubbed his eyes, "How long have you been up?" he asked, looking at Garet and Ivan who were off a few yards away, already ready to start.

"I've only been up about ten minutes," she answered, smiling, "but I pack quickly."

Isaac smiled sleepily, "Very good." He turned to his own pack which, although somewhat flattened, was all ready to go. He picked it up and turned to Jenna, "I guess we can start?"

"Yeah," she answered, pushing back her hair as she finished packing, "I think I'm ready."

Isaac walked over to where the other two were. They too seemed to be in good spirits.

Garet met him with his usual humour, "Finally up are you?"

Isaac grinned, "And ready to go. We should get started."

And so they were off. They walked together, since the path had become easier to follow. Isaac felt his change of heart set in. The pressure to lead was still there, but he knew now that there was no way he could finish the quest without the others' support and strength. He was grateful for having them at the time he needed them most.

It was not a long journey, following the mountains. By the time the sun was directly above them, the single mountain with the caves was in sight. Of course, they would be using the north entrance. Isaac didn't think they could stay for long, but they needed time to rest, and they needed a definite plan for the next few days.

Finally, they arrived. The dark entrance did nothing to reveal the inside of the cave. Isaac went in first and the others followed close behind. Isaac squinted as he went in, trying to see something in the pitch darkness. Soon all four of them were there, their eyes adjusting to the dark. It was not long before the four exhausted bodies were able to fully take in their surroundings. Immediately, they saw something unexpected. In the dark, several men who looked like soldiers were sitting on the cold ground.

The arriving adepts were not the only ones occupying this cave.


	43. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41**

It had promised itself it would not get involved. To tamper in the affairs of humans was not in its nature. It had promised this five years ago atop the Mars Lighthouse.

But now things were escalating quickly. A final battle was nigh and it wanted to get involved.

The Wise One knew the second that Alex proved to have survived the collapse of Mt. Aleph that Weyard was in trouble. Alex, since his first breath, had been the most determined young adept it had ever seen. He had even managed to awake the long-lost prisoner, Maskah, who even The Wise One had forgotten about over time. But they had proven to be a dangerous pairing, and Maskah was still a threat to the adepts.

It had seen Alex's change of heart coming. Love had always been his weakness, especially for the one young adept Mia. But after her imminent death, Alex was doomed to give up. And now he was off in the sea searching for himself. The ship would drift with Alex and Felix until Alex truly understood what his life meant.

As for Isaac, The Wise One had always known the young adept was special. Even without discovering his long-hidden power, he was a strong force, stronger than he knew. But he would be tested one last time against Maskah.

The Wise One's nature was to appear when the elemental balance of Weyard is being disrupted. And the current conflict was created by humans. With infinite wisdom, it's decision was final.

It would not get involved.


	44. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42**

Cool waves splashed up against the side of the ship. The afternoon sun loomed large above the expanse of the sea. The water reflected the light, shimmering calmly and beautifully. The soft scent of salt water rose up from the sea, subtle but not forgotten. It was quiet. And in that moment, Alex felt it was perfect.

He had taken off from Tolbi, put Felix in his own quarters underneath, and was now drifting quietly in the south of the Great Western Sea. There was not a piece of land as far as the eye could see. It was so different from anything Alex had ever felt or seen.

His whole life there had been that drive, that sense of purpose that kept him always on the move. From Imil to Prox and from Prox to everywhere else in Weyard, he had always been moving. And now his whole world had stopped and once again, he was very much alone.

But it felt good. This release from pressure is something he had always seeked. He sighed as he looked out at the sea and smiled.

To be honest, he had had his doubts about this entire decision and process. He had seen it as a kind of go-between for life and death. And he still felt very much the same now, there was no way he would spend the rest of his life adrift. He was much too alive for that.

As for Felix, the young earth adept was only a week away from waking up from his deadly coma. Alex wasn't sure how the young man would react but would treat it as anything he would these days. He would take it as it comes.

Alex squinted up at the sun as he leaned on the rail of the ship. This whole situation was nothing like the purgatory he had expected it to be. He was very much alive and the perfectness was very much real.

Yet, the predicament continually came up in his mind. He could not now go back to the mainland, he had done too much to damage Weyard to do that now. He could not stay adrift in this ship for the rest of his life either. The imminent decision of how he would spend the rest of his days came to his mind again.

As he looked down at the water, he remembered Mia again. He could not and would not ever forget her. She had been the only thing in his life that had ever mattered. And he knew now that she was in a better place. He smiled as he remembered the better, more playful times they had shared at Mercury Lighthouse. She had been such a great friend…his only true friend.

His thoughts then turned to Isaac. Although he had spent the last five years in contempt with the other young earth adept, he knew now what a noble person Isaac really was. He had always known that if the day came when they battled, no matter how strong Alex was, Isaac would have turned out victorious. His determination and understanding were his greatest strengths, two things Alex had never truly had. Alex had been determined at one point, yes, but there was a great difference between the obsession he had felt and the noble determination he desired. Isaac had been a better man than him, and Alex acknowledged that now.

And as the warm sun beat down on the back of his neck, it came to him. He had known it all along but the conclusion was there now. His life had already been written for him. The last page had been turned, and there was no way that he could go back now to rewrite any of it. The reputation he had left behind, the way others would think of him, none of that could be changed now. But all that mattered, and what came to him in that moment was the greatest of epiphanies. He was now at peace with himself. His life had been lived, and he was at peace with how it had passed. And now there was one last step to take, one last hurdle he had to go over. And he no longer feared it.

He no longer feared death.

It was a unique moment. He knew that he had always had the power to choose when and where. But he had always feared the decision, or rather the outcome of the decision. But this was only natural.

He understood now that what he had done with the first half of his life was irreversible, no matter how hard he tried in the second half to change it. He could drift on the sea forever, remembering the past and the mistakes he made. Or he can pass on to another life, and start again.

He looked out at the sea. Perfection had been something he had always seeked from himself, whether that be through physical or mental training. But this was a different kind of perfection. This was the perfection of feeling at peace with yourself without any fears. And it felt great.

Alex turned west and nodded, smiling. He even knew how he would end it all, it felt as if he had always known. The curiosity he felt about the Gaia Falls, the true edge of Weyard, had intrigued him many times during his life. Sailing off the falls would be his last, and bravest act.

Smiling, Alex left the deck of the ship and went inside. He had not forgotten Felix, of course. And he knew that there had been a reason he had taken the young man. And after the revelation, Alex now knew that Felix would have to live the same fate as Alex. They were too similar, and they had come too far together to be seperated now. Now Alex could truly give Felix a new life, one better than the one he had lived.

Going back out to the deck, Alex grabbed the ship's wheel and turned it until the ship faced due west. Even now, he could see the falls in the distance. He had been close to them all along, as if they had drawn him there.

The Gaia Falls roared louder as the ship came closer. The water around the ship began to lose its shimmering calmness, and became white froth. Alex only stood at the helm, smiling. He was not scared in the least.

The roar grew louder still as the ship began to move faster, taken by the current, the falls beckoning. Alex looked straight up as the sun shone brighter than ever.

He was there now. This was the end. Without fear and without regret.

Talking to no one but himself, unable to hear himself over the roar of the falls, Alex let out a silent, "Thank you."

Ahead of him, the water was disappearing into black. Alex put his hands into the air, and took a deep breath.

And then he fell…


	45. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43**

Not a sound was made as the adepts stood there, shocked at what they saw. The cave itself was much darker than Isaac had remembered it, as the constant dripping became the only ambience for their confusion. The source of the triviality lay with the dozens of soldiers, alive but unmoving, sitting cross-legged on the ground in front of them.

Isaac was bewildered to say the least. He had expected this place to have two or three patrolling soldiers to protect it. Yet he had also hoped that Tolbi's hand had not yet reached this far. What was even more bewildering though was that the soldiers had not jumped into attack at the sight of the adepts. And as Isaac looked closer, he noticed that the helmets on these soldiers did not match the design of Tolbi's, like the ones they had faced in Lemuria. These appeared to resemble the design of Kalay.

Isaac felt the other three around him take a few nervous steps back. A couple of the soldiers raised their heads to notice their visitors. Isaac, of all things, did not feel afraid in that moment. These soldiers were not products of Alex, or they would have attacked without mercy. Perhaps these men of Kalay could be reasoned with.

Isaac raised his hand as the others continued moving back, and softly spoke, "Wait."

The others stopped. Isaac looked around. The soldiers were scattered, all seemingly crest-fallen, with their eyes to the ground. Their armour was pierced in places, and their faces were dirty. Isaac, confident that his assumption was correct, took a few steps forward and addressed the soldiers, "My name is Isaac, from Vale. I am traveling with the business to oppose Tolbi. Who is the leader of this party?"

For a moment, there was no response. There was a murmur among a few of the men, speaking silently to each other, a few more of them looking up at Isaac. Then, finally one of the soldiers, a burly man with shaggy brown hair, stood up and approached Isaac. He appeared to be the strongest of the group, but also the most battle-worn. The armour on his chest was dented, and he wore a bandage around his left arm, which was blood red at the bicep.

Isaac did not falter as the man came up to him and spoke in a deep voice, "Well, young Isaac, if that is your name, it would appear that our business is similar," he then smirked, and his hand moved to the hilt of his sword, "and yet I do not trust you. How can one so young as you come so far, yet be so unscathed? How can I know you are not a spy of Iodem's, sent to kill me and my party?"

Isaac took a step forward so he and the man were within striking range, and quickly drew his blade. The Sol Blade seemed to shine in the dark and the man took a step back, clearly shocked at what he saw. Isaac answered in a tone that demanded reverance, "Has my name not yet reached your ears? Did you not know that it was my party that lit the lighthouses five years ago, returning Alchemy to its former state?" at this, the man's expression turned to surprise, and Isaac continued, "Yes, I am that Isaac whom you have heard of before, and I come not as a spy, but as one who prepares to shake the foundations of Tolbi's empire. Whether you be with me or against me, you will not stand in my way."

The man, still shocked, stood silent for a moment, and then answered, stuttering, "Isaac…my name is Katar, and I am one who would have your allegiance."

Isaac now needed more information to fully trust this man, "Tell me Katar, how did you and your party come to be so battle-worn? And why have you come to this place?" he asked as he put his Sol Blade back in its sheath.

Katar suddenly looked very somber as he answered, "My party was once the strongest military force in Kalay. I was the captain of this force, a force that numbered 114 able-bodied men. We trained daily, and fought under the same flag as Tolbi. We were joint cities, we marched together, we died together. Then, we received word from Lord Hammett that Tolbi wished to overthrow Suhalla. Lord Hammett left us to question Iodem in Tolbi, since this overthrow didn't seem to be the wisest of choices. Weeks passed as Hammett remained on the other side of the Karagol. I was the leader of the city during this time…it was a nerve-racking time for me. Tolbi was growing stronger, and its shadow loomed large over Kalay," Katar sighed, "Finally, the city received a letter from Iodem saying the joint city treaty had been disposed and Kalay was overthrown."

"We received a similar letter," interrupted Isaac, intrigued by Katar's story, "How did you respond?"

Katar gave a smile and continued, "I had been the leader of Kalay's forces for many years. I was confident our group of trained soldiers could defeat any force. After Lord Hammett failed to return, I knew he had been killed. So, with false confidence, I decided to challenge Tolbi for the control of my city. I gave Iodem my response, and prepared my soldiers for battle. I was headstrong. I thought he would have a week before Tolbi's military would arrive. They came in two days."

Isaac was now considering himself lucky to have found a man who knew so much, although he was disheartened at the news of Hammett's death. He had a sudden flashback to that dream he had had so long ago. Alex had killed Iodem, and Iodem had done his 'master's' bidding. Was killing Hammett Alex's bidding? Isaac snapped back to reality, remembering Katar's story and beckoned for him to continue, "What happened?"

Katar sighed once again, "Our forces as a city numbered two hundred. However Tolbi attacked with surprise and a thousand capable soldiers. We tried to fight them and for a while, we did well. But then the Tolbi soldiers started using psynergy. I had not expected this, and as our numbers dwindled, as I fought for my life, I ordered our troops to retreat," he then motioned to the other men scattered around the cave, "We came to these caves, all fourteen of us, giving up Kalay to Tolbi in the process. We have been here in hiding ever since."

Isaac nodded and put a hand on Katar's shoulder, "Your tale is a sad one. But you fought bravely, and should be proud of that."

Katar looked up at him, "You said you wish to take down Tolbi's empire. But what hope do you have with only four of you? Tolbi has only become stronger in the year since our battle. Their numbers have grown. Your chances are slim."

"We realize the odds are not with us," Isaac answered, "but we are not yet up to storming Tolbi. We have been summoned to Kalay, where we will battle a foe beyond mere man. It is there where we will be judged."

Katar looked up at Isaac hopefully, "Will you then be taking Kalay back as a sovereign city?"

"If we defeat our foe, than we will still have to face the soldiers that now inhabit the city. We may need support to do this," Isaac answered.

"It has been one year since our battle," said Katar resolutely, "some wounds still have not, nor will they ever heal. But I have prayed every day that I can once again see my beloved city free once again. I would die protecting it, and I will gladly die to take it back," he looked back at his soldiers, "We will fight with you in Kalay. We will fight under Kalay's flag one final time."

Isaac smiled, "Your allegiance is appreciated. I will lead you to your hometown and we will take it back together."

They shook hands with a strong grip and Isaac introduced the other members of his own party, "This is Garet, Jenna, and Ivan. They are my friends and they have battled beside me through all my journeys."

Katar smiled and shook hands with each of them, "Well met, young adepts," he then turned back to Isaac, "Now come, we have much planning to discuss."

The five of them entered the cave together, preparing to fight under one flag, the flag of the free world.


	46. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44**

The Gondowan Caves had never been all that memorable for Isaac. They were simple, with only three rooms. The back room was floating in ankle-high water, dirty water that had sat there stagnant for hundreds of years. Yet today, in that back room, there was a certain excitement. And unlike the first two times Isaac had been through these caves, he felt as if something worth remembering would happen today.

The four adepts and Katar, the leader of Kalay's military, sat down in a dry area of that back room. There was no awkward silence as Isaac started the discussion immediately and with purpose, "My party once numbered eight, but through two deaths and two kidnappings, we now are only four. According to Alex, who has assumed control of Tolbi, we have two days to arrive in Kalay, or another one will die. So our time is clearly limited, and we must decide on our path quickly and decisively."

Katar nodded, "I too know the meaning of haste. But what of this Alex? I have not heard his name before."

Garet answered him, clearly feeling the need to speak, "Alex is behind all of what you have experienced, all the evil that has come from Tolbi. It was not Iodem's will that had Suhalla and Kalay overthrown, but Alex's. He is a strong water adept and can impose his desires on anyone he wishes."

"Ah," answered Katar, "so he is the foe of which you spoke before. He is the one we will meet in battle."

"He is not the only one," piped in Ivan, "there is another, Maskah, who has wind psynergy that is deadly to even the strongest of mortals. It was Maskah who kidnapped our other party members."

"Two strong adepts on top of the military force already existing in Tolbi?" remarked Katar, "Surely this lessens our odds even further."

"But we must fight," answered Isaac, "for the good of Weyard and for those who are already dead."

"So…" started Katar slowly, "my men have already proven they can put up a fight against the soldiers of Tolbi. If Alex assumes you four will be arriving alone, that means my group will have the element of surprise."

Isaac interjected, "I will not ask you to fight beside me, since our target is Maskah and he is beyond any of your men."

"I can help you in only one way then," answered Katar, "I can aggressively attack the soldiers with my men, keeping them at bay while you battle Maskah. I'm not sure if it will make your battle easier, but if it works, you will be attacked on one side, and not all four."

"That's a good plan," said Isaac as the others nodded, "in order to surprise the enemy though, you will have to enter the battle after the four of us."

"That can be done," answered Katar.

Isaac stood up and the others did the same, "We are finished then. How long until you will be ready to leave here?"

"It is early afternoon now, but my men travel light. We can be ready by nightfall," he retorted.

"Excellent. The four of us have our own preparations, so we will meet you outside at dusk," Isaac said, beckoning to the others.

Katar left with a nod to address his men, leaving the four of them alone. Isaac took a deep breath and spoke, "Alright, what do we all think about what we're about to do?"

Jenna was the first to answer him, "Well…I am concerned that we may not be able to defeat Maskah with the group we have now. I mean…we didn't do it the first time, how could we possibly do it now?"

Isaac nodded and gave the best response he could, "All I am leaning on right now is the confidence that we can defeat this foe, as we have all the others. And this time, we will not be caught unaware. We know exactly what we will be facing, and that certainly is an advantage."

Ivan, who had been somewhat silent, added, "But what about Alex? Katar was right, defeating two powerful adepts will be a tall order, impossible even!"

Isaac smirked and answered, "I actually believe that we will not be meeting Alex in Kalay. It would be unwise for him and his second to leave Tolbi together, leaving the city in nobody's guard. He will send Maskah to defeat us, but will not leave his throne, not yet."

"But what if you're wrong?" interrupted Ivan, "What if he is in Kalay?"

Isaac, with complete confidence, gave his final answer, "I know Alex too well by now. He will not be in Kalay, I guarantee it."

Garet resolutely stood up at this finality, "Well I have no concerns. All I want now is to get a second chance at killing that old man."

Isaac stood up, grinning, "Just trust me, all of you, and I promise you that we will be victorious when the red sun rises."

And with that, they turned and left the back room. The front hall was now empty. Katar and his soldiers had clearly gone outside to prepare.

For the rest of that afternoon, Isaac prepared for battle. As he sat there, looking at the Sol Blade that was once Felix's, he remembered the better times. He remembered Vale, his family, his friends. As the dark of the outside cast pitch black into the cave, Isaac stood up, putting the blade back in its sheath.

_Those better times will be ours again._

With resolution and confidence, he left the cave. The cool night breeze coming off the Karagol hit his eager cheeks and he knew, now more than ever, he was ready.


	47. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45**

The white stone and green trees of Kalay had not lost any of their beauty, even with the evil times that had come across the city. Yet today there was a shadow growing over the city that had nothing to do with the hundreds of soldiers that now inhabited its streets. A storm was coming in from the north, the rain clouds dimming all light over the city.

Kalay remained silent in those early hours of morning. It was an eerie silence, as the wind rustled the trees without notice. There was no noisy preparation for battle, no cheerful conversation, no battle fires. There were only tents. And although the men inside those tents had woken up much earlier, they made no noise. The sound of thunder boomed off in the distance. A storm was coming.

And as the wind began to howl, the tents began to billow, a lone figure stood in the silence. His robes were gray, not white, on this day, reflecting the change of weather. Maskah knew that this was not the only storm arriving on this day. He had already been informed that Isaac approached the city from the east. And standing alone, in the rising tension, he was ready.

It had been three days since Alex's departure from Tolbi. And without any word, any news of his whereabouts, Maskah now knew that he did not plan to return. It had been expected. Alex had yet to learn true wisdom, he was too young. And now, with only one leader, all of Tolbi was at Maskah's command.

With years beyond measure and immeasurable strength, Maskah knew that the wise decision would have been for Alex to stay. There had never been an empire as strong as this in Weyard's history. And with two leaders, they would have stood as an unbeatable force. Bringing water and wind together, they could have made the perfect storm. With military and wit, they would have had Weyard in submission. But it would not be that way.

Maskah, once the servant, now the master, would face all comers alone. It would be as it had always been. For thousands of years, he rotted beneath Anemos, generations passing above him. He was alone then, training ceaselessly to become the strongest adept Weyard had ever seen. Now, finally, he had his chance to prove it.

To defeat Isaac and the other three would bring about his ultimate retribution. With the adepts dead, there would be nobody left to challenge his throne. He could have all of Weyard at his command. Alex was not needed, nor wanted. Maskah would defeat the adepts himself, just as easily as he had the first time.

The crack of thunder sounded again, this time not in the distance, but directly over the town. The sun had not yet shown its face on this day, nor would it.

Maskah had all the confidence in the world. He was one day away from truly becoming ruler of all things, and with the weather on his side, he would be victorious. He would kill the four free adepts on the battlefield, than return to Tolbi and slaughter the three that remained. He had to rid himself of them, like some sort of infestation.

When Isaac arrived here, he would find the way to victory shut. In his way would stand five hundred soldiers. And if they did not kill him, Maskah would.

Maskah clenched his fists. The wind howled louder than ever and, at long last, the rain began to fall. The first drop hit Maskah's cheek, and he knew that it was time.

Maskah turned around to face the dozens of tents, billowing in the wind. Standing strong, Maskah bellowed into the rain, "Come out, soldiers of Tolbi! Form the line!"

As if waiting for this command, the soldiers came out immediately, one by one. They walked in single file, each of them wearing the armour and helmet of Tolbi. At one time these soldiers had been good, standing to defend Lalivero and Tolbi from harm. Now no thoughts entered their mind, they lived only to serve. Almost robotically, they formed the line at the entrance of the city. The clanking of armour ceased as the soldiers found their positions.

And now Maskah stood there, in front of the five hundred that inhabited Kalay, brimming with confidence. In a final address, to prepare himself and the soldiers, he bellowed strongly, "Men of Tolbi, a storm arrives on this day! Four adepts come to Kalay looking to take it back and destroy all we have achieved! For their intent, they must be killed!" he looked in the eyes of the soldiers and added menacingly, "Failure will not be tolerated."

All that needed saying had been said. This army had been bred for the battle on the horizon. The force created in Tolbi would not be broken.

The storm had arrived.

And for the adepts, there would be no sunrise.


	48. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46**

The path leading north to Kalay was becoming increasingly difficult as the adepts fought the strong wind and rain. The weather had not been this unfavorable in Angara for a very long time. Yet, today, the four of them would have to overcome this trial. They would have to overcome it because today was the deadline, the last day. They would arrive in Kalay to meet with Maskah, and defeat all that stood between them.

Isaac kept his head down, pushing forward through the gusting winds. He squinted at the other three keeping stride with him. They too were grimacing, with the rain hitting their faces and the wind howling. Thunder cracked ahead of them, above Kalay.

Isaac knew that it was no mystery of what waited there for them. Countless soldiers, more than they had ever seen. And Maskah, leading them on, no doubt having only revenge on his mind.

He took a short look behind him. There was no sign of Katar, as he had expected. They had agreed that Katar's men would arrive an hour behind Isaac. The four of them would fight on their own, hopefully able to hold their positions. Katar would enter with surprise and it would be then when Tolbi's wall of men would break. It was the only plan they had, and Isaac prayed it would work.

It was slow going, but still they inched closer to Kalay. Unable to keep his head up for more than a second, Isaac had no idea what they were walking into.

_This rain may turn out to be a disadvantage._

Isaac tried to think of a psynergy that could help him see, and thinking of one, he turned to Ivan on his right. He yelled over the howling winds, "Ivan! Use Reveal and tell me what you see!"

Ivan squinted back at him, his long hair sopping wet, and nodded in acknowledgment. He closed his eyes, his brow furrowed, and turned north. A purple haze appeared around his body as his expression turned to that of intense focus. They all stopped walking for a moment, waiting for Ivan.

After a moment, Ivan opened his eyes, the purple haze disappearing. Isaac, his hand cupped over his eyes, called out, "What did you see?"

Ivan turned away from the north and yelled in answer, "There is a line of men at the entrance! Their numbers, I can't tell! I see no sign of Maskah!"

Isaac had almost expected this. Maskah would guard himself behind a wall of men. The adepts' plan had been to engage in two separate battles. Yet now it appeared there would only be one. If they defeated the soldiers, they would earn their right to battle Maskah.

He called out to the others, "They are ready for us! Draw your weapons! We will have to kill the soldiers first!"

He knew that these soldiers were once good-hearted men. But he would not, could not show any mercy in killing them. He drew his Sol Blade, ready to face what was ahead of them.

Beside him, Garet drew his Excalibur. The wide blade had proved to have fearsome strength in battle, and Garet had wielded it well. Jenna and Ivan both drew their Tisiphone Edge. The light, nimble blade looked kingly with its crimson handle. And although it did not appear strong, they all knew it masked a strong unleash, one not to underestimate.

They looked around at each other, weapons out and ready. This battle would be their defining moment. Their chance to prove their strength against numbers. And their chance to reclaim the city that had long stood as a symbol of nature and beauty in its architecture.

Isaac nodded at each of them, smiling. And turning north, he set off. The others kept stride with him, faces resolute and confident.

As they approached, the shadow of the city blocked the rain and the wind. And for the first time, Isaac saw the gate that Ivan had seen.

In front of them stood, not one line of men, but dozens. The city was not visible behind the countless helmets, each of them emblazoned with Tolbi's mark. Isaac's heart skipped a beat, but he did not stop.

With the other three beside him, he started to run. Holding out his blade, he ignored the wind, ignored the rain, and rushed the soldiers before him. The soldiers drew weapons of their own, spears longer than any blade.

Beside Isaac, Garet came out of nowhere and as Isaac watched in surprise, Garet hit the line first, hitting a spear aside with Excalibur and plunging the blade into a soldier's stomach.

Turning the other way as he ran, a bewildered Isaac watched as Ivan hit the line next. The Tisiphone Edge let out a high-pitched howl, still audible over the deafening winds. Side-stepping a spear, Ivan held the blade in front of him as a translucent goddess appeared behind him. With an extravagant bow, the goddess shot three arrows at the soldier in front of Ivan, crippling the man behind the helmet.

Finally, Isaac hit the line. With a strong, circling stroke, he gruesomely beheaded a soldier, and cut the knee of another. Behind him, he heard Jenna's voice over the wind, yelling the psynergy for all to hear, "Searing Beam!" Isaac had no time to notice the effects of the attack, as he plunged the Sol Blade into two more soldiers. He, Garet, and Ivan were now surrounded by enemy soldiers.

It was as intense as Isaac had imagined it. Ducking to dodge a spear, he swung his blade powerfully through the leg of another soldier. Recovering to his full height, feeling soldiers coming from all sides, he raised his palm, a tan light emitting from it, and yelled, "Stone Spire!" The soldiers coming at him immediately were hit by a barrage of huge, sharp rocks. With a chance to get his bearings, he frantically looked around.

He was no longer able to see his friends. There were so many soldiers for such a small city, and with more coming at him, he had no chance to worry about the others. He would just have to hope for the best.

Rushing at the soldier coming at him, he raised his palm and yelled, "Oddysey!" Out of nowhere, three human-sized swords hit the soldier, knocking him back, dead. Continuing to attack, Isaac gave another soldier no chance to fight back as he put all his strength behind another swing at the neck, beheading another. Feeling a soldier coming from behind him, he ducked and turned quickly, sticking the now red Sol Blade in the approaching soldier's ribs.

As he tried to pull his blade out of the man, he felt resistance. The man, not yet dead, yelled in pain as Isaac tried desperately to retain his blade. Feeling another soldier approaching, Isaac abandoned the man for a moment, raising his palm again, "Quake Sphere!" An intense earthquake knocked three nearby soldiers off their feet, giving Isaac a chance to turn back to the man. Frantically, he pushed the man to the ground, putting his foot on the man's chest. Isaac grabbed the hilt of the stuck blade and, looking at the man, the pleading eyes told him all he needed to know.

_This will be painful._

With a tremendous pull, he slipped the blade out from the man's ribs. There was a horrible squelching noise and the man screamed in pain, but Isaac had his blade back. He put the man out of his misery, slitting his throat and turned back to the battle.

He was running on pure adrenaline. His perception of reality had been reduced to the simplest of forms. Any approaching soldier had to die, no matter what. Looking quickly left, he saw Garet, fighting off several soldiers. He did not have long to look though, as another soldier advanced on his right. Turning, Isaac rushed at the man and the group forming behind him. But before he could attack, the man raised his palm, a blue light coming from it. Expecting this eventuality, Isaac raised his own palm. But before he had time to speak, a jet of water hit him in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. He caught his breath quickly however, and resorting to brute strength, he stabbed the soldier in the thigh, sending him to the ground.

Panting, he turned and saw two more soldiers coming at him. Giving them no time to use psynergy, he rushed at them, summoning another Oddysey to kill one, and cutting the other in the stomach.

Before he had time to recover, another soldier stood in front of him. He had not seen this one coming and before he could swing his blade, he felt the soldier's spear pierce his left shoulder. Yelling in agony, he used his right hand to strike the man's throat. The man fell, and the spear came out.

The pain was unbearable. He dropped his blade, and held his left shoulder. Quickly, he called on a healing psynergy, a tan light emitting from his right palm, "Cure," he muttered breathlessly. Immediately, the wound closed, but the pain was still there.

Nevertheless, Isaac picked up his blade to face several soldiers drawing near. Out of breath, he realized how tired the mayhem had made him.

Stumbling with pain from his shoulder, Isaac ran at the soldiers. He desperately swung the Sol Blade, killing one of them. But at the same time, he felt a spear graze his back, cutting him. Crying in pain again, Isaac tried to ignore it, killing the attacker. He turned towards an impending soldier, but was pushed to the ground by another.

On his back with four soldiers above him, his blade kicked aside, he knew he was forfeited. Desperate with this unforseen fate, he yelled in frustration.

_This was not how it was meant to end._


	49. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47**

A fog was beginning to settle over Kalay. The wind had died down, but the rain fell ceaselessly, keeping the growing battlefield wet and muddy. On the ground, an all-out war had begun at the arrival of the four adepts.

Maskah cursed under his breath as the fog made it increasingly difficult for him to see what was happening on the ground. He was on a rooftop, which provided a birds-eye view to the imminent death of the adepts.

At first, they had done exceedingly well, killing more soldiers than Maskah had expected. But now they were tiring, the ceaseless attack wearing on them. It was only a matter of time before they would be dead, and Maskah could return to Tolbi to finish the business.

He squinted, trying to see through the fog. Unable to make out anything but the men's figures, he pointed his right palm at the battlefield below. As the purple haze formed around him, he was able to use Reveal to see what was going on.

Scanning through the hundreds of soldiers, he tried to find the four lone figures. Then, one by one, he spotted Garet, Jenna, and Ivan, all surprisingly still armed and fighting.

_But where is Isaac?_

Looking desperately left and right, Maskah tried to find him. The sea of helmets made it difficult, but there was one gap in the sea. And that was where Maskah saw him. Isaac was on his back, his blade cast aside, a spear at his neck. Knowing that Isaac was the strongest of the group, Maskah's heart almost skipped a beat. He had not expected such good fortune this early in the fight. He watched and waited eagerly for the soldier to finish Isaac off, to kill him. But something else caught his eye. His gaze turned quickly south and what he saw made his jaw drop.

From the south came twenty soldiers, their armour white, men of Kalay.

_They have returned?_

Maskah knew that these soldiers had been driven out a year ago. Why would they return? Were they with the adepts? Frantic with shock, Maskah ran to the edge of the rooftop, forgetting about Isaac, bellowing, "Kill the soldiers! Kill them at the gate!"

Turning around, he headed for the staircase. There was no way that he would lose now, not to some ragtag bunch of soldiers. It was time to get involved.

Isaac lay there in the mud with a spear at his neck. He had let his friends down. He had not done Felix justice. And now he was prematurely forfeited, without being given a chance to show his leadership. Feeling the pressure increase on his throat, he closed his eyes. He was going to die.

Then, just as Isaac accepted his fate, he heard a voice on the wind, Maskah's voice. Isaac could not make out what was said, but he heard the word 'soldiers' and felt the pressure on his throat lessen.

Seizing the opportunity, he quickly rolled over, and reached between a soldier's legs, grabbing the Sol Blade. He cut the man's leg, sending him to the ground. Hearing the voice stop, Isaac jumped to his feet, watching incredulously as the soldiers around him turned south, ignoring him.

From the gate, he heard a battle cry and immediately recognized the voice. It was Katar. The men of Kalay had returned to their city.

Turning north, Isaac was brought back to reality as dozens of soldiers walked towards him, brandishing spears, heading towards the gate. Isaac took out his own blade, ready to face all comers.

But before he could run out to meet them, he heard a familiar voice to his left. He turned quickly to face Garet, who was running to meet him.

Isaac loudly said in greeting, "They're here!"

"I know!" answered Garet, "Jenna and Ivan are fine!"

"Why are you here?" asked Isaac, noticing Garet's stained Excalibur.

"We must fight through to the north!" Garet replied quickly, turning to face the impending soldiers, "We have to get to Maskah! Katar will take care of the rest!"

Isaac nodded, turning north, "Then let us fight, and strike fear into Maskah's heart of stone."

Garet grinned and together they ran out to meet the line of soldiers ahead of them. They hit the line quickly and with strength, dodging spears, and plunging their blades into whatever they saw.

Feeling a renewed sense of meaning and responsibility, Isaac fought like never before. Ducking under two spears at once, he grabbed a soldier's leg, tripping him and in the same motion, cutting into another soldier's stomach. With a second of relief, he raised his palm, yelling out, "Stone Spire!" crushing the three soldiers in front of him.

He had figured out the key to defeating these soldiers. They were only formidable if they were given time to use psynergy. Otherwise, their skills with a spear were extremely limited.

However, their skill had been enough to injure him, and the more he swung the heavy blade, the more the pain in his shoulder seared. He could heal himself of this pain, all he needed was a little time. He turned to his left, Garet was a few feet away, still fighting his heart out. Isaac, quickly dodging another spear aimed for his head, called out, "Garet! Cover for me!"

Garet nodded, and immediately came to Isaac's side, slicing through two imposing soldiers. Isaac, grateful for the time, put his hand to his left shoulder again, muttering, "Potent Cure." The tan light coming from his hand seemed to feed life force back into him. The pain in his shoulder was gone, and without recoil, he lifted his Sol Blade high above his head, and swung hard at the helmet of an approaching soldier. The sound of metal on metal resounded as the soldier fell to the ground from the blow.

With a second to look around, Isaac tried to interpret the state of their invasion. What he noticed first was that they had fought their way past the gate and were now surrounded by houses and buildings with low rooftops. Most of the remaining soldiers, and there were many of them, were still at the gate, trying to fight off Katar and his men. Isaac looked up at a rooftop next to him and quickly came up with an idea, one that would help Katar and the adepts finish the battle.

Isaac turned to Garet, who also was no longer in combat. "Hey," he started, grabbing his friend's attention, "if we can get up to those rooftops, we can use psynergy to reinforce the gate and help Katar."

Garet looked up at the flat rooftops and nodded, "But what about Ivan and Jenna?"

"We should be able to see where they are," Isaac answered, "they will come up after us."

Garet nodded again, and sheathing their weapons, they ran off to find the entrance to the nearest building. It was two stories, and would probably provide a better view to the battle. There were two or three soldiers blocking their path, but they did not last long, as Isaac and Garet used quick psynergy to finish them. Finally, they found the entrance. The door was unlocked and they let themselves in. The first floor was empty, and impeccably clean. The furnishings were not strewn about, as Isaac had expected them to be. Things were neat and tidy, giving no signs of the wartime that was upon the city.

Quickly, they found the ladder. They climbed past the empty second floor and onto the rooftop. As the rain fell on him once again, Isaac noticed for the first time the fog that had set over Kalay. It was thick and as Isaac walked to the southern edge of the rooftop, he found it difficult to see what was happening at the gate.

Garet walked up next to him, squinting into the fog and the rain, "How are we supposed to help them when we can't see what's happening?"

Isaac silently agreed. All he could see was what was directly beneath the building, which was only a few soldiers, scurrying towards the gate. "To use psynergy now would be too risky," he answered, "Katar, Ivan, and Jenna are still down there. We can't run the risk of hurting them."

They stood there on the edge of the rooftop, somewhat disheartened by this turn of events. Garet, even in the face of such adversity, seemed calm when he asked, "So what do we do?"

Isaac paused before replying, "Well, it appears we have three options. We can stay here until the fog clears, we can re-enter the battle to help the other three, or we can go try to find Maskah."

"I don't like the last choice," retorted Garet immediately, "we'll need all of us to defeat Maskah. And staying up here idly just isn't a good idea with our friends down there."

"Then let's re-enter the fray. I can do a lot more damage before I am spent," said Isaac with confidence.

"As can I," Garet replied, smiling.

Isaac opened his mouth to voice some kind of finality, but before he could say anything, another voice came from behind them, "Oh, you won't be going anywhere, my friends."

Isaac whipped around, and even in the fog he could make out who had said it, who had joined them on the rooftop.

In the rain stood a man in grey robes, anger spread across his face.


	50. Chapter 48

**Chapter 48**

In the wave of evil that had crashed over Weyard, there appeared to be a loss of innocence. Even in the far corners of the world, there was a stir. There were no innocent ears when it came to the word that had spread, word that Tolbi's empire would soon control Weyard in its entirety. Word had also spread that the eight adepts who had saved Weyard from a different fate five years before were off again, fighting for sovereignty in a conflict-ridden world. Yes, innocence was hard to come by these days. But not all creatures suffered such a fate.

In a tree, lost in the forests surrounding Kalay, sat a small sparrow. Continually ruffling its feathers from the rain, uncomfortable in the wind, it had decided just to stay at home on this day, and wait out this ruthless storm.

In Kalay, though, not all could simply wait out such a storm. It was, simply put, fate that a storm of such ferocity would come on this day, the day where all would be decided. So many had been involved in Tolbi's affairs over the past year. So many innocent, and some guilty, lives had been lost.

But on this day, on a rooftop in the centre of Kalay, there were only three. Two young men and an older one.

The sparrow ruffled its feathers again, and shook its head, trying to rid itself of the rain. But it was all in vain. Innocent or not, no creature would escape this storm.

In a way, Ivan was having quite a lucky day. His Tisiphone Edge, as strong as it already was, had unleashed a total of nine times, killing fifteen soldiers. He had not been touched by the enemy, and felt no tiring in his young bones. With elusive quickness, he jumped to dodge a low jab, and for the tenth time that day, a goddess appeared behind him, firing several arrows into the surrounding soldiers.

Ivan looked around, trying to see through the thickening fog. The rain had not ceased, in fact it seemed to be falling harder now. To his left, he saw who he was looking for. Jenna too, was fighting off a group of soldiers, using fire psynergy with strength and grace.

Ivan had not seen Garet since he left to find Isaac, who nobody had seen since they entered the battle. He assumed they were both alright though. They were strong, and would surely break through to the north.

Ivan and Jenna were still at the gate, fighting off the dwindling numbers of soldiers. Katar's men had done more than anyone could have expected. Even without psynergy, they fought strongly and efficiently, killing all in their path.

Tolbi's soldiers had numbered near five hundred in the beginning, by Ivan's estimations. Now, even in the fog, Ivan knew that there were less than fifty.

It would not be long now before the battle on this front would be over. And then, it would be Maskah who was afraid. Wherever he was, wherever he was hiding, they would drag him out, and finish him once and for all.

But Maskah was not hiding. Above the battlefield, out of the sight of anyone else, stood Maskah, facing Isaac and Garet. He had cornered them here, given them no chance to escape. In his mind, he knew exactly how this would turn out.

_My soldiers could not do their job, but I will not fail._

He would kill the strongest of the eight here, unbeknownst to anyone on the battlefield. Nobody could interfere now.

_Today truly is a thousand years in the making._

Isaac faced Maskah. Things had not turned out the way he had planned, but that did not mean he would back down. He would take out this secondary force, and send a powerful message to Alex.

"You have arrived then," said Maskah, taking a step forward so they could see him more clearly through the fog, "You have made the deadline. I am impressed."

Isaac, feeling anger all over again, sneered, "I don't need your approval, snake."

Maskah frowned at this, "I was merely communicating my appreciation. Let's not be so informal so early in our conversation."

Isaac was somewhat surprised by how freely and sarcastically the words were coming from his mouth. When they last fought, Maskah had seemed robotic, referring to Alex constantly as 'my master'. Shaking off this strange feeling, Isaac returned the comment, "You have now killed two of my party members, and kidnapped two others. I will call you whatever I feel like."

Maskah gave a slight grin, "Well, I am not here to trade insults anyway. We have business…"

Isaac interrupted him, "Where is Alex? Your letter promised he would be here."

Maskah, silent for a moment, answered in a serious tone, "You will be saddened to know that Alex has deserted Tolbi. He is no longer leader of the city."

Isaac wouldn't believe it. After all he had done, Alex wouldn't simply leave the city. There was no way. "You lie," Isaac replied silently.

Maskah's face once again communicated an obvious seriousness, "I do not. Three days ago, after he killed the blue-haired girl, he abandoned the city. He took the Lemurian ship."

Isaac shook his head, looking at the ground. This news was unbelievable. Alex was gone.

Maskah continued, "Now, before I get interrupted again…our business," he paused for a moment, "As newly appointed leader of Tolbi, my proposition to you is this. I will release your friends and your family, and you will surrender the continent of Angara and return to Vale whence you came," he smiled, his eyes meeting Isaac's, "Do you accept?"

Maskah's proposition registered but did not sink in. Isaac almost felt now that the journey they had set out to fulfill could never come to fruition now. They could not complete this thing without ridding the world of Alex. Now their chief enemy was out on the sea, out of Isaac's reach.

Still, the immediate reality was that they now had to face Maskah. Isaac put aside his shock for when he had time for it, and gave Maskah his planned response, "No deal we make can bring back the ones you have killed, my friends who are dead."

Maskah gave a strange, knowing smile, not the one of anger Isaac was expecting. Very coy, he replied, "I'm afraid you are mistaken, Isaac. I have killed nobody."

The lie stung Isaac, this was a subject he would not joke about. Through gritted teeth, he said, "If you are a man, you will admit to your actions."

"I am not lying," answered Maskah, "your friend, Mia, was not killed by me, but by Alex. And Felix, as lifeless as he seemed, is not yet dead."

Once again, Isaac was shocked. Atop Trial Road, Felix had appeared dead for so long as they battled Maskah. But as he listened to his enemy's words, he knew that Maskah told the truth this time.

_Which means Felix is alive!_

Felix, then, had been kidnapped alive along with the other three and was assumably in captivity with Sheba and Piers. It was bittersweet news, although exciting. Bittersweet because if Isaac did not defeat Maskah here in Kalay, they would have failed Felix for the last time.

He now had even more reason to finish this now, to rid the world of its leading evil. He looked Maskah in the eye and said, "Even if you haven't killed anyone, that does not grant you innocence. We have not come here to barter with you or discuss other's affairs. We have come here to rid Kalay of you and your army."

Maskah gave an uncharacteristic chuckle, "I did not think for a second that you would accept my agreement, Isaac. I have brought you here to kill you, and for no other reason."

Isaac was not fazed, "It has come down to this then," he said, drawing his blood-stained weapon. Besides him, a silently determined Garet did the same.

Maskah smiled, taking another step forward, "It certainly has. Here, in Kalay, I will defeat you just as I did in Shaman Village. And this time, I will not show mercy and leave you alive," his expression quickly turned to anger, "and all the world will remember this day as the day the mighty adepts fell."

At the gate, Ivan shook his head fervently, getting the sopping hair out of his eyes. The fog had thickened even further, making it impossible to see even the closest object. Needing to know what was happening around him, he raised his palm, a purple haze forming around his body. Muttering, "Reveal," he was finally able to see the extent of the damage.

The ground was littered with the bodies of soldiers, from the gate to the buildings. To his left stood a solemn Jenna, leaning on her sword, clearly exhausted. Off in the distance was Katar with four or five of his men, staying within visibility of each other.

No others were left standing.

And as exhausted as he was, Ivan was able to come to the incredible realization of what they had done. They had won the battle. The army of Tolbi had been broken.

Leaving the surreal visibility of Reveal, Ivan walked to where he had seen Jenna. Swimming through the fog, he saw her, and their eyes met. In a shared moment of celebration, they hugged. Breaking the embrace, Ivan said gleefully, "It's over. We won!"

Jenna gave a tired smile, sagging a little under the weight of Ivan's conclusion, "Yes."

Looking at Jenna, he suddenly remembered the other two. Glee turning to concern, he asked, "Have you seen Isaac or Garet?"

Jenna shook her head, "I just assumed they were alright. I can't see a thing through this fog."

With growing worries, Ivan realized that he had not seen either of the other two when he had used Reveal only moments ago. Quickly, he raised his palm again, and said aloud, "Reveal."

With renewed visibility, he looked around, not able to see them anywhere near the gate, nor among the bodies. His gaze turning north, he was met by emptiness, an abandoned city. There was nothing among the buildings at the north end of Kalay. But something on one of the rooftops caught his eye. Looking quickly up two stories, his wandering eyes were met by an unexpected sight.

On the rooftop stood Isaac and Garet, but what terrified Ivan in that moment was who they were facing atop the building. Appearing confident in the rain, wind, and fog stood Maskah, facing the two cornered adepts.


	51. Chapter 49

**Chapter 49**

It was mid-afternoon, but there was no sun over Kalay to dictate the hour. The weather that had hit the city with such force the night before seemed only to be intensifying. Warm winds were starting to whip up again, and the rising humidity only made the fog thicken. And all the while, the rain continued to fall. Small streams had formed in the mud, flowing quickly around bodies towards the gate, trying to escape the city as fast as possible.

Though the city had been deafening only hours ago, an intense silence had fallen back over Kalay. The soldiers of Tolbi, those that had come to defend Kalay, lay dead on the battlefield. Huddled near the gate were Katar and the four men who had survived, all tending to their fresh wounds. It was an eerie scene. The silence of a battle not yet completed lay heavy on the hearts of the few survivors. All seemed completed, but there was no celebration.

There could be no celebration now for Ivan, who in the silence muttered, "Reveal," as he walked quickly and blindly north. One task still remained for the four adepts, and as Ivan side-stepped a body, he realized how awry their plan had gone. Ivan and Jenna were now racing north, realizing the predicament they had put their friends in by splitting up. Isaac and Garet had been cornered by their one remaining enemy, the formidable Maskah.

With renewed vision, Ivan ran harder than he ever had. He could see the building ahead of him, the one on which he had seen Isaac and Garet. With Jenna on his heels, Ivan cried over the wind and rain, "It's up ahead!"

A confused Jenna tried to keep up. She had not been given the distinction of seeing what Ivan had, but his quick portrayal had scared her. Maskah had taken advantage of the chaos formed by the battle, trapping her two friends atop a building. Gasping for breath, she responded, "Did you see if they were in combat yet?"

Ivan, not turning around, kept his eyes on the scene forming ahead of him. It did not appear that anyone had attacked yet, "No!" he yelled in response, "They're still talking!"

Finally reaching the building, Ivan tried to explain in the fog, "It's this one!" Hurrying, thankful for the visibility, he found the entrance. The door into the house had been blown off, and the wind howled louder than ever as he entered the building with Jenna at his side. Brushing the wet hair out of his sweaty face, Ivan looked left and right frantically. There was no ladder, no staircase leading to the next floor. Cursing, Ivan turned to Jenna, "He took the ladder!"

In shock and with adrenaline pumping through her veins, Jenna gave a quick response, "There has to be a way up!?"

Ivan ran past her towards the door, answering loudly over the returning winds, "Maybe there's a way up outside!"

Running outside, Jenna once again right behind him, Ivan followed the perimeter of the building. Rain pelting his face, he turned the first corner and saw nothing. Unable to see what was going on above him through the fog, Ivan still heard faint voices. But as he turned the second corner, he was distracted by an unexpected sight.

Ivan came to a full halt with Jenna beside him as he realized what he was looking at. In the rain, a cut on his forehead, lying on his back, was Garet. Eyes closed, his brow furrowed, it was painfully obvious that he had been knocked unconscious.

"…and the world will remember this day as the day the mighty adepts fell."

Isaac ignored his enemy's words, staring down Maskah with a determined look. He had been waiting for this moment for weeks, and so much had transpired that only intensified his hate for the man before him. Even without the other two, he still had Garet beside him. It was all he had, and all he needed.

He turned to his left to share a final word with his friend but was surprised once again by Garet's eagerness and determination. Just as he had hit the line, Garet already had his Excalibur drawn and had started to rush Maskah. Without thinking to attack, Isaac only watched as the series of events unfolded before him. Garet wound up to attack, swinging the blade high above his head, but two steps from Maskah, he stopped in his tracks. Seemingly unable to move, Garet stood in attacking position, frozen. Taking one step forward, Maskah spoke to Garet faintly and scornfully, "My business is not with you."

Quickly pointing his right palm at Garet, a thick purple haze forming around the two of them, Maskah bellowed, "Gyre Gust!" A sudden blast of wind formed out of nowhere, striking an immobile, defenceless Garet in the chest. The powerful gust knocked Garet off his feet, and Isaac could only watch as Garet sailed past him, off of the rooftop and out of sight, plunging into the fog.

Trying to comprehend what had just happened, Isaac looked back into the determined eyes of Maskah. Without Garet, he had been left alone to face the old man, one on one. Coming to terms with his situation, he became disgusted with Maskah's plan to single him out. He spat at the man before him, speaking with utter distain, "You coward."

Without flinching, Maskah smirked, "Isaac," he retorted with an equally disgusted tone, "the valiant leader. When your friends find you dead, they will be lost," he gave a throaty laugh, taking a step forward, "Your plan has failed, Isaac. Without your friends, you will die at my hands. Nobody can save you now."

Isaac, letting his actions speak for him, drew his Sol Blade. With anger seething through him, he channeled all of it into his blade. And in a triumphant moment, he raised the blade above his head and through the gusts of wind and rain, it emitted a high-pitched howl.

Feeling the pure strength and energy of the sword fill him, he watched as the clouds above them turned black and red, the captivating sight piercing the fog. And with a roar, from the cloud burst a meteor, fire burning from its tail. It was the culmination of the Sol Blade's true potential, Megiddo. The fiery meteor fell from the sky, roaring towards the building. Closing his eyes, Isaac heard the deafening crash as it hit Maskah.

Opening his eyes to a building now laced with fire, Isaac was somewhat surprised to see Maskah down on one knee, not defeated, but damaged. Isaac put the blade back in its sheath. He had not expected such luck so early in the fight. Maskah had been impenetrable the last time they had faced. But Isaac had also not used such a potent attack last time.

Declaring over the winds to his wounded foe, Isaac said strongly, "I will not die today. Your time has come, Maskah. You do not fear me as you should."

But as he said these words, Isaac watched in shock as an aura of psynergy formed around the kneeling Maskah. A haze circled him, and condensing before Isaac's eyes, the haze became beads of purple liquid. As if attracted to the wounded man, the beads of liquid seeped into his body, hitting his bare skin and disappearing. Isaac watched in horror as the rejuvenated Maskah rose back to his feet.

Smirking once again at Isaac's shock, Maskah answered with authority, "One thousand years I have lived and feared nobody, defeating foes far more powerful than yourself," his smirk turned to a look of hatred, "my time is far from over, Isaac."

_He had healed himself without any effort._

Even after Isaac's most potent of attacks, Maskah was not harmed. Reeling, Isaac couldn't think of what to do. His mind was full of memories, words from his friends, but none of them made sense now. None of them mattered. His arsenal had been cast aside, he had nothing without the other seven at his side.

And with only his armour for defence, he was now at Maskah's mercy.

Ivan, in a frenzy, shook Garet violently, trying to find some sign of life. Jenna's hand was at her wounded friend's forehead, desperately using healing psynergy. Her brow furrowed, she used her free hand to grab Garet's wrist, feeling his pulse. "He is not dead," she commented, still focused on healing him.

Leaving Garet, Ivan looked up, unable to see the rooftop through the fog, "He must have fallen," he answered, "and Isaac is still up there."

He was not provided a response to this conclusion, as a loud gasp came from Garet, whose eyes had finally opened.

A relieved Jenna hugged her childhood friend, "Garet!"

Confused, Garet sat up, taking in what he could from his surroundings. "What happened?" he asked to no one in particular, his gaze still interpreting where he was.

"You fell," answered Ivan, whose attention returned to Garet, "do you remember how it happened?"

Garet turned to face Ivan and gave him a puzzled look," Me…and Isaac, we went up to see the situation but…Maskah cornered us…he gave us a mediocre peace treaty that Isaac didn't accept, then…" he paused for a moment, "then I attacked him, and that's the last thing I remem…"

But before he could finish his sentence, a loud roar came from above them. For the first time, the fog had disappeared and the clouds turned a strange black and red. Then, shooting from the clouds, came a huge meteor.

His eyes wide with fascination, Garet said inaudibly, "Megiddo…"

The enormous ball of rock and fire shot towards the building and the three watched in excitement as it hit with a deafening crash. Then, as quickly as it had left, the fog returned. The attack was over.

Excited, Jenna declared, "He's okay!"

Ivan, not deterred, frowned, "But there's no way he can beat Maskah on his own."

Garet stood up for the first time, his eyes still sparkling from witnessing the attack, "All we can do now is believe in Isaac. He can do it, I know it."

Ivan opened his mouth to respond but was drowned out by a loud clap of thunder. Frozen with sudden fear, Ivan realized where the thunder had come from.

Directly over the building.

Isaac stood there on the brink, on the very edge of the rooftop. He had no attacks to use against Maskah now, and as he stood there, he desperately tried to think of one.

But Maskah, tasting Isaac's fear, took advantage of his indecision, "This is the end, Isaac," he declared, taking a step forward, "your story has come to a finish."

He raised his palm high into the air, a purple haze forming once again around his entire body. And Isaac could only watch as the inevitable words came from his mouth, "Storm Surge!!"

As the voice boomed the words, Isaac felt all fight leave him, his fate had been sealed. Thunder clapped faintly from far away. But ceaselessly the thunder boomed, louder and louder, closer and closer. Isaac did not put his hands to his ears this time, he could take the sound. Finally, the thunder clapped directly over him with volume that crushed his eardrums. Above him, a cloud darker than the rest had formed, a thunderhead. Thunder continuing, the tornado came down quickly and with force. It pinned Isaac to the rooftop, the wind crushing him. The noise was excruciating, the howling winds, the ever-strengthening thunder.

Finally, the tornado dissipated, and lying weak on the ground, on hands and knees, Isaac knew full well what came next.

At the gate to Kalay, Katar was witnessing an incredible sight.

His journey to Kalay had been quite an adventure, with the rain in his face every step of the way. He had arrived with so much adrenaline and had done as much damage as he could. With Ivan and Jenna helping him, he and his men had defeated the remaining soldiers. Many of his remaining men had died, but their burial would be an honourable one, they had died protecting their city from the greatest of evils.

But now Katar's story was finished. Sitting with his back to the stone wall, he watched the buildings to the north of him with wonder. The fog had thinned just enough to allow him vision to the spectacular battle that had begun between the adepts and Maskah. A meteor, greater than anything Maskah had seen, and now an incredible thunderhead had formed above the building.

Katar closed his eyes, praying that the adepts were winning, and that they would defeat this final foe. His men had come so far, had faced so much in the year since their defeat here. They needed their city, just as much as Katar did.

Opening his eyes, something in the west turned his gaze. Standing up, he saw something he could not believe, something unexpected.

A beacon of hope.

Breaking through the clouds, the wind, the rain, in the western sky, the sun finally shone through, bringing the light of day to the grey city.

It was a sign, the tides had turned, and his gaze turning back to the north, Katar knew that only the best could come from this new hope.

This attack, this incredible psynergy, had defeated Isaac once before. And it was about to do it again. The tornado had weakened, it was the foreshadowing to the climax of the attack, the thunderbolt, stronger than anything summoned by the heavens.

In that final moment before it hit, weak and face down on stone, Isaac's life flashed before his eyes. His childhood, learning psynergy from Kraden, their first quest. Their misjudging of Felix, the epic battle atop Mars Lighthouse. More clearly, this quest came before his eyes, and he realized how far they had come. From Vale, around the world, to this point. And yet, with this attack, he was failing all the people he had meant to save. His family, he would never see any of them again. They would live the rest of their lives in poverty. Felix, who was not yet dead, Isaac had failed to bring him home. Piers, Sheba, they would never again see the light of day. Garet, Jenna, Ivan, the three who had come so far with him. They were doomed to the same fate as him.

He realized that by giving up his life to Maskah's final attack, he was sacrificing the hope of not only these people, but the entire world. All eight of the adepts had saved Weyard five years ago, but on this day, it was only Isaac. All the weight was on his shoulders.

Closing his eyes, the realization of the need to be strong proved to be overwhelming. And then blindingly, in his mind, the image of the Golden Sun came to him. It had been so beautiful on that day. The lights, the lights of the four elements, powered the Sun, creating Alchemy over the town where he had grown up. As Isaac envisioned that Sun, it seemed that his entire life was bottled inside it.

He had created it. They had made it strong. And now the world could reap its rewards. But all their work would be in vain if Isaac were defeated on this day. Tolbi would suffocate the world, imprisoning all those with free will, ridding all of their sovereignty.

Isaac could feel the thunderhead swelling above him, but as it did, the Golden Sun only grew in his mind. It became larger, until it encompassed every one of his thoughts. It became everything.

In that moment of true inspiration, Isaac realized what he had been fighting for, what life truly meant. The Golden Sun, its ability to give humanity a chance to be extraordinary, its creation of pure essence, was the reason for life on Weyard.

On Mars Lighthouse five years ago, Isaac had been infused with that power. And now, for the first time, he felt himself become stronger, he felt it become part of him. He realized his role, to be the saviour of this world, to protect it from man's greed.

Opening his eyes, he impulsively turned to look west. Over the horizon, miles in the distance, was the sun. It broke through the fog and the rain, splitting the clouds. Isaac knew it was his beacon. It was his time.

In the moment of his epiphany, Isaac lost himself to the Golden Sun's power. Raising his hands to the sky, he felt an orb of light form around him. He felt the thunderbolt come down, the climax of Maskah's attack crashing through the air above him. But hitting the orb around him, it fizzled out above his head.

Standing strong, Isaac was now Weyard's remaining beacon of hope. And he would not be denied this moment. Alchemy would protect him, the Golden Sun would infuse his strength.

Keeping his arms raised, he looked straight in the sky and watched as the thunderhead above him burst, revealing the sunlight. The fog disintegrated, rain and wind disappearing. And for the first time since their arrival, Kalay was given a clear day.

Isaac then turned to Maskah. "Your reign of evil is over, Maskah," he declared strongly. And with the final words, he pointed his right palm at Maskah, a brilliant light forming around him. Feeling more strength flow through him than ever before, pure energy coarsing through his blood, his hand went instinctively to the hilt of his Sol Blade. He drew it, and the blade shone brilliantly in his hand, emitting a fierce light.

Isaac closed his eyes, the words coming to him effortlessly, "Sol," he whispered. And, focusing on the blade, he opened his eyes. At his words, the Sol Blade let out a hiss and became lit with flames, appearing as fiery as the sun itself.

Brandishing the infused blade, he walked towards Maskah. The orb glowing around him, he knew he looked different in the eyes of his enemy. All had turned on the man before him, and his time had run out.

This power was the one that Alex so greatly desired, the power to change the fabric of humanity, to change the course of time. Isaac had found it inside him, in his time of greatest need.

Isaac flourished the Sol Blade as he approached Maskah, who was frozen by the triumphant sight before him. Before Maskah stood a different greatness, one that stood on a pillar above all others. His life had been forfeited by a superior cause and he accepted it.

And with one triumphant, regal motion, Isaac erased one thousand years of history with one swing, taking the Sol Blade and sticking it directly into Maskah's heart.

In shock, Maskah looked at Isaac and then down at the blade that had pierced him. Without warning, the blade burst into fierce flames, burning Maskah from the inside. With the pain and hopelessness of it all, almost in slow motion, Maskah fell backwards. Collapsing to the ground, the old man crumpled under the righteous fire of the Golden Sun.

And without noise, his motion ceased. Lying on his back in the city he had tried to defend, the flames died, and he passed away.


	52. Chapter 50

**Chapter 50**

Angara and Gondowan had long stood as companions. Although sharing borders had much to do with this, it was also the great friendship between its two major cities, Kalay and Tolbi. With the Karagol Sea separating them, their leaders had always been close. This alliance, however, had been tampered with over the past year. With the poisoning of Iodem's mind, and Hammett's death, relations had soured. As Tolbi grew, Kalay diminished, standing as an afterthought to the growing empire spreading across the world. Those who defended the city were driven out, vowing never to return.

But change can never be avoided, and a promise like the one Katar made a year ago was rarely kept. The men of Kalay needed only a nudge and inspiration to return, they had remained loyal to the city.

And why not? Kalay was one of the most beautiful cities in all of Weyard. The summers were long, the green trees growing wide and deep. White flowers laced the vine that covered the buildings, giving ode to nature's beauty. Mountains stood tall on the horizon to the west and north of the city. Men who grew up here know the loyalty that is common in these lands.

And pride swelled in Katar's heart as he took in the sight before him. The clouds had disappeared, the sun had returned, and his city was illuminated with the promise of freedom. Above him, a swift sparrow landed in a tall tree, coming out of its nest and searching for food.

Katar turned to his men, who, despite their wounds, were standing up beside him, taking in the magnificent sight of their liberated city. Overflowing with joy, Katar's words came to him with inspiration, "The battle of Kalay is over my friends," he turned north, where in the distance he saw a lone, shining figure atop the building, "and the adepts have returned our city to us."

Looking down at Maskah's lifeless body, Isaac felt all adrenaline leave him. He pulled his cooling blade from Maskah with ease, returning it to his sheath with a sigh. It was over. And keeping his word, Isaac had set Weyard free.

It was almost surreal, how the past hour had transpired. His true ability, the one that had been hidden for so long, had come to him in his time of greatest need. He had harnessed the power of the sun, infusing his psynergy with brilliant light and fire.

But his job was finished now and at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to see his friends again. Squinting in the renewed brightness, Isaac realized that the ladder had been taken, stealing his easy way back to the ground. Forced to use an alternative route, Isaac raised his palm, muttering, "Retreat." Closing his eyes, he felt the strange sensation of having the ground pulled out from under him. But as quickly as the sensation began, it ended. And opening his eyes, Isaac found himself at the doorway to the building.

Leaving the house, Isaac was greeted by three familiar faces. There was a moment where they all stared at one another, not sure of what to say. So much had happened today that none of them would forget, and nobody knew where to start. But a sweeping feeling of joy came through Isaac at the sight of them, and he smiled.

Immediately, the other three smiled and Jenna broke the silence, "Oh Isaac, we saw everything…"

"You were incredible," commented Garet, finishing her sentence for her.

Isaac nodded, feeling somewhat pleased with himself. Judging by their looks, they could not believe what he had done either. "It's over now," he said assuredly, "Maskah has been defeated."

And with the pristine, clear sky above him, he approached them and embraced each of them in turn. The feeling of relief was so great, so genuine, it almost weakened Isaac to consider that their long journey had been completed. So much had led up to this, so much determination, so much grief. It all made him want this moment to last forever. The feeling of victory washed over him, making him swell with joy.

But as he looked silently at his three friends, those who had traveled with him through everything, he realized that there was one more person he wanted to see. Turning to the south, Isaac smiled again and beckoned to the others, "Follow me."

They began walking and as if reading his mind, Ivan commented, "We owe Katar much thanks for what he has done. We could not have broken Tolbi's army without him and his men."

Isaac nodded in response. These were his thoughts exactly. He had to thank Katar, for following him without question, and granting his manpower to Isaac's cause. As the battlefield came into view, Isaac saw for the first time the extent of the damages. Bodies lay everywhere, strewn in the mud. Helmets were cast aside, spears in heaps across the field. Isaac leaned down and picked up one of the helmets, Tolbi's symbol splashed across the front. Looking inside it, he noticed a small, white flower in the bottom. Picking the flower out and holding it in his palm, he knew it was a sign. Kalay was already on the mend, and would not suffer long from the events of this day.

Looking towards the gate, Isaac saw who he was looking for. Katar, his hands on his hips, looking back at the approaching adepts, a smile across his face. Isaac grinned at him, and stepping over bodies, he walked up to the new leader of Kalay.

Katar was the first to speak, "You have returned victorious, Isaac!"

Isaac smiled and nodded, "Yes. Maskah has been defeated."

"Will you be leaving for Tolbi?" he asked, "Does Alex remain a threat?"

Isaac paused for a moment, "We will leave for Tolbi, but not to find Alex. Alex has abandoned Tolbi, leaving it unguarded."

Judging by the lack of surprise on the adepts' side, it appeared that Garet had already delivered this news. Katar, however, grinned even wider, "This is great news!"

Isaac, smiling at the man's joy, continued, "We will go there to defeat any remaining soldiers, and then release our friends from captivity," he paused again, "But first, Katar, I must extend my thanks to you, for fighting beside me through this great battle."

Katar extended his hand, "It is I who should be thanking you!" answered Katar, shaking his hand, "You have given us our city back! And for that, I will forever be in your debt."

Isaac was not surprised, these men of Kalay were honourable indeed. "Let's just say our scores are settled," replied Isaac, "But let this battle be a sign of the alliance between the adepts of Vale and the men of Kalay."

Katar smiled and nodded, "So be it."

Isaac looked around at the three next to him, "It is time for us to be going, Katar. You have been our greatest ally, and we cannot thank you enough."

Katar answered, "Let good fortune travel with all of you. Kalay will always remember what you have done here today."

Isaac nodded and shook hands with him again. And with a wave, the adepts gave their farewell. With the other three behind him, Isaac set off, leaving the gate and Kalay behind him.

"So are we finally going to Tolbi?" asked Garet from behind.

"Yes," answered Isaac, "we will free Sheba, Piers, and Felix, get back our families, and manage the city's affairs before returning home."

"Home…" repeated Jenna, who was now walking beside Isaac. It was obvious that she too felt the relief of a completed journey. They all did.

Turning west, Isaac realized how late in the day it had become. The sun was darkening, and starting to disappear behind a red sky. Realizing how tired he was, Isaac yawned and spoke, "We should rest at the Gondowan Caves. I'm exhausted."

He was sure the others felt the same. It was the end of a great day, one that would live in stories forever.

The day that Weyard was freed.


	53. Chapter 51

**Chapter 51**

The night was quiet in the relative comfort of the Gondowan Caves. They were empty now, all signs of life having left the previous night. Near the back, around a small fire that had long since been extinguished, the adepts slept in peace for the first time in weeks.

Isaac slept deeply and dreamlessly, no visions of the past or future entering his clear head. It was a moment of sanctity, the first he had experienced since leaving Vale.

Outside, the moon reflected off of the Karagol Sea, illuminating the cool waves in white. The tall pines and evergreens rustled in the warm wind, which had calmed considerably. All was peaceful and quiet on the Karagol, but to the south, Tolbi was bustling with activity, even at the given hour.

In the city, the soldiers were active for the first time in weeks. Fires burned high on the outskirts, giving light without hurting anything. Tents were being taken down everywhere by the once loyal soldiers. Other soldiers were leaving in bunches, traveling east to their homes in Lalivero. They had been freed from their slavery, their minds no longer controlled by those that had led them.

This act, the one they were finishing now, was not a rebellious one. The soldiers were working feverishly to return the city to what it had been before Alex's arrival. They had realized quietly that Iodem was dead, leaving Tolbi without a leader. But banding together, those soldiers originally from Tolbi worked hard on their beloved city. The others, those who had been taken from Indra and Lalivero, were heading home, longing to see their families once again.

Interactions between the working soldiers were friendly, but all felt bittersweet about what they had done over the past year. Although not in control of their action, they were aware of what they had done. They had killed innocent townsfolk across Gondowan, in Suhalla and Naribwe, even in Kibombo, whose people had been caught completely off guard. These emotional scars could never be healed, and forgiveness was not guaranteed. But there was only one thing on the soldiers' minds as the morning sun arrived in the east, they were free now.

A few miles away, Isaac stirred at the light that had entered the cave's entry. His eyes bleary, he sat up slowly. It was dawn, he had slept through the entire night. Refreshed, he jumped to his feet as the others around him stirred for the first time.

Rolling onto his back, his eyes still shut, Garet mumbled, "Shut up Isaac!"

Isaac laughed, "Get up Garet! You can sleep again when we get home."

Yawning, Ivan and Jenna sat up without a word. Jenna's eyes strayed to the outside, squinting into the light of the morning. Garet, however, had rolled over and was snoring obnoxiously.

Isaac sighed, and held out his right palm, "Quake," he said, almost inaudibly. Without warning, the ground underneath Garet started to shake violently, sending him jumping to his feet.

"Ouch!" he proclaimed, holding his lower back, Jenna and Ivan both laughing at his expense, "What was that for?"

"I said get up!" laughed Isaac, "It's time to go."

Sighing loudly, Garet grabbed his pack sharply and glared at Isaac. Isaac could see the suppressed smile though, and knew his friend was kidding.

They all grabbed their packs and started to walk slowly, still somewhat sleepy. Leaving at the opposite exit, the adepts found themselves squinting in the brilliant light of morning, now just east of Tolbi.

Isaac smiled as the sun warmed his face. It was refreshing to have a beautiful day greet him after a long sleep. Following the mountain range to their right, Isaac headed towards the east. They could not yet see the city, but Isaac knew what to expect, and was on his guard.

Looking ahead of them on the path, though, he saw something he did not expect. A group of soldiers, helmetless, heading in their direction. Isaac stopped, holding his hand up as a warning to the others behind him. Putting his hand to the hilt of his blade, he was stopped as he noticed something strange about the approaching men. They appeared to be talking to each other, indeed Isaac could hear their voices from where he was. They were all smiling and laughing as well.

Isaac realized that neither the men in Lemuria or the soldiers in Kalay acted this way, and as they came closer, Isaac found himself shouting, "Who goes there?"

The men suddenly stopped laughing and walked up to the adepts, "We should be asking the same of you!" answered the one in the lead, who looked strangely at Jenna.

"My name is Isaac…" said Isaac, noticing the change in the man's gaze, "have you met Jenna before?"

As if a lightbulb went off in the man's head, he answered, "Jenna! Yes! Our group saw her for a fleeting moment as she and an old man left Venus Lighthouse six years ago," he then laughed heartily, "if my memory is as good as I hope it is!"

Jenna took a step forward, "You were one of the soldiers who Alex fought?"

The man smiled as he remembered, "The blue-haired one? Yes, it was him."

Jenna turned to Isaac, "Isaac, these are not men of Tolbi. They are from Lalivero."

Isaac was surprised by this, but before he could say anything, the man spoke, "Ah, I'm afraid I have to correct you, Jenna. I was indeed a soldier of Tolbi over the past year, as we all were," he motioned to the seven men behind him, "We were under the control of a greybeard man, forcing us to do things we should not. But we have been freed, and are now returning home."

Isaac smiled at this news. It was as he had hoped then. Without the influence of Alex and Maskah, the soldiers of Tolbi could return to normal form. Wanting to fill this friendly man in, Isaac gave his own news, "Our party has just come from Kalay, where a great battle was fought. The greybeard man who controlled you, Maskah, is now dead."

The man's look changed to curiosity, and turned to one of the men behind him. They shared a similar look before the leader turned back to Isaac, "My friend here said that yesterday he looked south to Kalay and saw a brilliant light. He said the light broke open the clouds and dried the rain. Did you see it while you were in Kalay?"

Ivan answered before Isaac could say anything, "Isaac was responsible for that light. It was the only way Maskah could have been defeated."

"Incredible!" proclaimed the man, "So you are responsible for our freedom?"

Isaac nodded, "It would appear so."

The man's smile widened, "Then some thanks is in order!" he extended his hand to Isaac," My name is Ashton, and I am very glad to meet the acquaintance of one as strong as yourself, Isaac."

Isaac shook Ashton's hand, "It is good to see a friendly face, at any rate."

Ashton gave him a knowing look, "If you are headed in the direction of Tolbi, you will find many friendly faces. We are glad to be free, and they will be even happier to see the man responsible."

Isaac nodded, "Any gratification is much appreciated."

Ashton gestured behind him, in the direction of Tolbi, "Do you need an escort? We would be more than happy to take you back to Tolbi if you need us to."

Isaac appreciated the generosity, but firmly shook his head, "You are already well on your way home. I would not want you to turn back now."

Ashton smiled, "You are very generous, Isaac. I hope our paths will cross again."

"As do I," answered Isaac, "Good luck in your journey home."

Ashton nodded at all four of them, "It was good to meet all of you. I will be sure to tell those in Lalivero of your story. It will not be forgotten," he then turned to face east, "But for now, this is goodbye."

Isaac shook hands with him again, "Goodbye Ashton and good luck to all of you."

Isaac watched as the group of men walked away. It seemed that he had entered a different world, separate from the one that had antagonized him over the course of this journey. It appeared things were finally going back to the way they should be, back to normal. He then turned back to the east, and without a word, set off again in the direction of Tolbi.

It was not long before the long-awaited city came into view. And beholding the sight before them, all four of them stopped in wonder. It was very different from the dismal sight that Isaac had seen only days before. The tents had been taken down, the majestic walls of Tolbi's buildings in plain view once again. In the center of the town stood the Colosseum, its white stone reflecting the pale sun. And all around the city, new life was springing up where the soldiers had trampled it only days before. These soldiers could be seen now scurrying around Tolbi, restoring the city that Babi had envisioned.

Garet took a step forward, "Well this is certainly a pleasant surprise."

Staring at the city still, Jenna answered, "It's magnificent, just like it used to be."

Isaac silently agreed. Even with Ashton's warning, nothing could have prepared him for the change that had literally happened overnight. The city he had seen from the ship was gone, and it was clear that Alex's influence had been eradicated. As he looked at Tolbi, more than ever he wanted the rest of his party beside him. Felix, Sheba, and Piers; it would be so good to see them again.

And the afternoon sun above him told Isaac that he didn't have to wait long.


	54. Chapter 52

**Chapter 52**

Piers' sleep was dreamless, just as it had been for the last three nights. After his encounter with Maskah, he had been moved to a different cell block, away from Sheba. Lonely and anxious, he was starting to doubt that Isaac would ever come for him. The situation was hopeless, Maskah seemed much too stong for even their full party, and without four adepts, Isaac didn't stand a chance.

His internal clock told him that it was night, but he could not sleep. Wincing, he opened his eyes to look at the black ceiling above him. The pain in his back had only worsened in the three nights he had spent on the stone floor of his cell. But grimacing, he sat up anyway. His eyes automatically moved to the only thing visible in the darkness around him, the Hydros Blade. Piers' conversation with Alex still seemed somewhat surreal. Alex had not appeared villanous at all, rather he seemed inspired and excited. But it was Alex's actions that still could not penetrate Piers' conscious. He had killed Mia, and Piers knew one fact remained true. Mia was gone. And then Alex had delivered the news. He was leaving Tolbi, abandoning the city he had worked so hard to build. Piers shook his head in the dark, still looking at the Hydros Blade, trying to convince himself that Alex, the man they had pursued across Weyard, was now out of their reach.

Reality seemed estranged to Piers. He was now alone, separate from the party he had traveled with, a party he had no current knowledge of. Questions racked his mind. Was Isaac even alive? What of the other three? And what had happened to Felix after Shaman Village?

As these questions pestered and consumed him, a blinding light appeared suddenly from the distant doorway, filling the hallway with light for the first time in three days. Squinting, Piers tried to find the source of the light. A sudden fear came to him. Had Maskah returned? Had he come to finish off the prisoners? Ignoring the pain in his back, Piers grabbed the Hydros Blade and jumped to his feet, retreating to the corner of his cell. He would be ready for any and all comers. He would not go down without a fight.

On the other side of the hallway, he saw the shadow of an approaching figure. It appeared that the figure was not in robes, but was wearing a helmet. Mind racing, Piers guessed that Maskah had sent soldiers to do his dirty work. Gritting his teeth, Piers called out, "Who goes there?"

A man's voice answered him from the hallway, "A soldier of Tolbi," the shadow of the man stopped in his tracks, "and I come in peace, not to harm you or your friends."

Piers silently scoffed at the soldier's obvious lie. With a newfound sense of confidence, he called out in response, "What, does your master expect me to give myself up that easily?"

The soldier, still standing at a fair distance, answered, "I do not think you understand Piers, I no longer have a master. Tolbi has entered an age of freedom."

Piers could not believe it, but there seemed to be truth in the soldier's voice, "What do you mean an age of freedom, what has become of Maskah?"

"The graybeard man has been defeated," answered the soldier as he approached Piers' cell, "he was killed in Kalay by a great force."

_A great force…could it be Isaac?_

Piers slowly moved to the bars of his cell, now trusting the intruding soldier, "Tell me," he started slowly, "have you seen or heard of a man named Isaac in your city?"

The soldier took another step forward, and Piers could see the man's face for the first time. He was smiling. "I have, Piers. It was Isaac who sent for me to release you. He is waiting for you now."

Piers' heart skipped a beat. Isaac was here in Tolbi! Putting his hands on the bars, excited, he asked, "Who is with him? Were there others?"

The soldier's smile remained intact, "Yes. There was a red-haired girl and boy, Jenna and Garet. Then there was a shorter blonde one, Ivan. Another one of my kin is releasing Sheba as we speak."

It was as if he was floating above the clouds. It was real. All the fighting, all the hardships, all of that was now over. Weyard had been freed. Piers smiled genuinely for the first time in weeks, "Well let's not keep them waiting then!"

And returning the smile, the soldier approached the cell, key in hand, and opened the heavy lock that had been placed there three nights before. As the cell door swung open, the man continued to speak, "My name is Morley, by the way."

Piers picked the Hydros Blade off of the ground and walked out of the cell, grinning and replying, "It's great to meet you, Morley."

"I was born and raised in Tolbi," Morley said proudly, "and if you'll follow me, I'll lead you to the man who saved my life and my city."

Isaac was trying to soak it all in, but was having more of a difficult time than he had anticipated. He was in the throne room of the castle that was once Babi's. He was seated at the back of the room, with the other three in identical chairs beside him. In front of them were three of Tolbi's soldiers, all of whom were giving their account of what had transpired in Tolbi since Alex's arrival. All of the information was intriguing, but none of it surprising. Isaac, through word of mouth, had learned of all of Alex's public actions. Now somewhat impatient with this old news, Isaac felt the need to interrupt the soldiers' constant flow of words.

"…and so Alex told me to lock up Piers in a cell, telling me that he would deal with the adept later…"

"Hold on…" Isaac tried to be as amiable as possible, "when did you say we were going to see the other three again?"

The soldier on the left answered politely, "My colleague Morley will return with your kin any minute now."

Just as the words were said, the door of the throne room swung open and three figures entered the room. One of them was a soldier, but the other two were people Isaac had long waited to see. The soldier, Morley stepped out of the way and called another soldier over to him. Isaac immediately stood up at the sight of his two friends. Piers was there, looking somewhat battered with a cut on his cheek. He was holding a long blue sword that Isaac had never seen before. And Sheba was also there, looking more healthy than Isaac had ever seen her. Emotion welled up inside Isaac as he looked upon the faces he had traveled half a world to see. Without a word, he walked up and embraced each of them in turn. The other three followed suit behind him.

After all the greetings were through, Isaac took a step back and looked each of them in the eye. He let out a sigh of relief, "It's so good to see both of you again."

Piers smiled sincerely and responded, "I hear that great things have happened since our last conversation."

Isaac smiled and was about to answer before Garet cut him off with a loud sigh, "Don't make us tell this story for the hundredth time."

At this comment, everyone in the throne room laughed and Isaac chuckled while replying, "You both will hear the story before you leave here, I'm sure," his eyes were once again drawn to the blade in Piers' hand, "I have not seen this blade before. Where did you come across it?"

Piers looked down at the blade and then back up at Isaac, "I suppose I will have to tell my story before you tell yours…"

But before Piers could give his account, one of the soldiers, Morley, stepped between the two reunited parties. "I don't mean to interject," he started, looking specifically at Isaac, "but I have some bad news concerning your friend Felix."

Isaac suddenly realized how blind he had been. With growing concern, he interrupted, "Where is Felix?"

Morley frowned and responded, "I'm afraid he's not in the castle. In fact, my men could not find him anywhere in the city."

Looking quickly to his right at Jenna, Isaac saw the identical look of shock that was spread across his face, "But we were told that he was alive and in captivity, here in this castle!"

One of the other soldiers nodded, "Indeed that was true. I was the one who placed him in the mayor's quarters."

Morley, who had been looking at the other soldier, looked back at Isaac, "He was not in the mayor's quarters, nor was he anywhere else we expected him to be."

Isaac was now frantic with despair. He had been on enough of an up and down journey to this point. It was supposed to be over. And Felix was supposed to be there with them, celebrating in victory, "Did you check everywhere? Are you sure he's not in the city?"

Morley shook his head, "I'm sorry. We have scoured this city to the fullest extent. He is gone."

Suddenly confused, Isaac couldn't understand how Felix could just disappear into thin air. He had to be somewhere, if not here, then somewhere in Weyard. More questions came to his mind, but before he could ask anything, Morley continued after a long pause.

"If he was taken from here…" he started, obviously sorting out his thoughts, "then there is only one possible culprit…"

The answer was so obvious, so simple. Only one man had left the city since Felix was captured. Only one man knew Felix's location at all times. With sudden realization, Isaac breathed, "Alex."

Piers took a step forward, "Two days ago, Alex came to me while I was in my cell. He left me this sword, but he also left a message," he turned to Isaac, "he told me that he was leaving Tolbi and…and he told me that you, Isaac, cannot follow him."

Isaac turned to Piers, surprised, "Is this your account…what else did he say?"

"That was it," answered Piers, "after that, he just left. I never saw him again."

Isaac knew now what he had to do. He didn't care what Alex had or hadn't said to try and sway him. He would pursue Alex, to the end of the world. He took a step towards the door, "I don't care what he says. We have to pursue him. We have to get Felix back."

He didn't care that he was fatigued. He didn't care that Tolbi's men expected all of them to stay. His friend was in danger, and they had to save Felix. But as he made up his mind, a female voice spoke for the first time. It was Sheba.

"Isaac…I'm afraid that's impossible."


	55. Chapter 53

**Chapter 53**

The determination Isaac felt seemed to falter as he heard Sheba speak from behind him. He had expected all five of the others to be completely agreeable to the undertaking of returning Felix to his home. And he had not expected Sheba to speak up, especially at this time.

He turned around quickly at her words, "What do you mean impossible?"

Sheba took a step towards Isaac, "I too have seen Alex since my capture. He came to me before he left this city, and I fully remember our encounter, even if my mind was still at war."

Isaac looked at her incredulously, "You met with Alex? Why haven't you spoken of this before?"

Sheba was not fazed at all, "I had to let you come to your decision by yourself. I did not want to disclose my information until the right time."

Isaac was both angry and curious, "And what information is that?"

"Alex came to me depressed and confused, that much was very clear by the state of his mind. He came to my cell with a request, a request to look into his future. To see what road lay ahead of him. I agreed, knowing that if I were to see his future, I would be granted access to his mind. I would be able to see Alex's past, present, and future."

Isaac was more than surprised, "So you saw his mind…what did you see?"

Sheba inhaled slightly, "I saw an immense sadness when I entered his mind. The depression was consuming, and as I looked at his memory, I immediately saw why. I watched him kill Mia, I watched it from his eyes, the brutal savagery. He had used an ancient psynergy to kill her, something I have never seen before. But he had not wanted her to die, he still loved her just as he had so many years before. And I realized then why he had come to me. He no longer wanted to be in Tolbi, he wanted to leave and forget all about Mia. So he wanted to see what was ahead of him, to know how it all would end."

"And you…" Isaac was motionless, "you saw Alex's future?"

"I did. But that is not all I saw. Through Alex, I saw Felix's future. They were the same, Alex and Felix, their futures somehow intertwined."

In utter silence, Isaac opened his mouth and immediately closed it again. He did not want to speak. He had to hear what Sheba had to say. And she continued.

"…I saw a Lemurian ship sailing a calm Western Sea. Alex was leaning over the edge, Felix was motionless in the cabin. Suddenly the waves started to take the ship. It started to pull the ship towards the Falls at the end of the world. Then my vision went black. All I could see was Alex, his arms outstretched, falling. And then…" she paused and faltered, looking unsure, "..th-that was all I saw."

Isaac finally spoke at Sheba's conclusion, "What does this mean?"

Sheba did not answer for a moment, but eventually spoke, "I looked into Alex's future and I saw death. I believe he took Felix with him," she paused, taking a deep, shuddering breath, "You cannot pursue them…because they are both dead."

Isaac felt faint. He knew Sheba was right. When she had full presence of mind, she was never wrong. But he had been so hopeful when he heard Felix was still alive. He had sworn to get him back. But now, the intense sadness had returned. Felix was dead. And this time, there was no way to get him back.

Sheba spoke again, "I'm sorry, Isaac. That's why it is impossible."

Isaac blinked away the tears, "I understand. Thank you." He looked to his right again, and he saw the rest of his party. They were all clearly devastated, their feelings once again united by loss. Isaac's eyes turned from them, unable to take their sorrow.

At the back of the throne room, there was a gallery window that looked out onto the beautiful Karagol Sea. Beyond the sea, Isaac saw Angara, the rolling hills and plains of his homeland. And on the horizon, Isaac saw the ocean. As he took in the view, Isaac, through watery eyes, saw Weyard as he had never seen it. This land had suffered so much loss, so much tribulation. And yet, through the deaths of those close to him and those he had never met, Weyard had once again become a land of opportunity. Felix may have left them, but with him he had taken the last evil remaining in the world.

_Everything happens for a reason. Felix died to save Weyard._

And as Isaac looked once again towards Angara and his hometown, far in the distance hidden by mountains, he knew in his sadness what it was time to do. It was time to go home.

Isaac looked back at the five adepts beside him, "It is time then…for us to return to Vale."

At his words they all looked up as if the word 'home' was foreign to them. Then out of the corner of the room, Morley approached Isaac once again. His voice was filled with pity and remorse, "I am sorry for your loss, Isaac. But there is one more thing I must show you before you leave here."

Isaac wondered what more bad news could be given, and solemnly nodded.

As if reading his mind, Morley continued, "I think that this discovery will be much more pleasant, though."

So Isaac, feeling a little more reassured, beckoned for the other five to follow as Morley led them out of the throne room. Isaac glanced one more time out the gallery window, and knew that fate had brought them here. Fate had presented this situation. And fate would lead them home.

Morley led them down the stairs to the main floor. As he walked, his voice carried to all the adepts' waiting ears, "I will be leading you to the Colosseum. There you will find what you've been looking for." And so, true to his word, he led them out of the castle and into the city plaza. It appeared just as it had five years before, the fountain flowing and reflecting the sun overhead, the townspeople setting up their stands, getting ready to start sales once again. Noticing their wandering eyes, Morley spoke once again, "This city has been through a lot in the past year," he then laughed, "but Colosso is in two weeks and our city's residents have no intention of cancelling it!"

Isaac watched as women and men alike set up food stands, psychic booths, and game tents all around the plaza. He smiled and shared their feeling of resurgence, nothing could break down the tradition of a city if its people are willing to uphold it.

Ahead of them, the Colosseum grew closer and closer, its immense size daunting to any tourist. Isaac looked upon the massive stone structure with awe, no less impresse than he was on the first day he saw it. Ahead of them, Morley pushed open the gates, ushering them into the clay arena. In the centre of the empty stadium was a group of people, dressed in simple clothing, all of them turning to look at the newcomers.

Isaac smiled at the familiar faces. They were the released prisoners, those taken from the towns of Vault and Vale. And in the front of the group stood three people Isaac thought he would never see again. Isaac was filled with sudden emotion as he walked quickly towards the short woman with sandy hair, the tall brown-haired man, and the baby in the woman's arms, wrapped tightly in a blanket.

He felt Jenna beside him as they approached his family. Her arm was around his as she repeated between tears, "My baby…"

Finally they stood face to face. Without a word, Doris handed the baby carefully to Jenna, whispering quietly, "He's yours now." Then she slowly turned to Isaac, looking him in the eyes for a moment before silently beginning to cry. "Oh Isaac!" she exclaimed, running up to him and hugging him tightly, "Thank you…thank you so much."

Isaac returned the hug, filled with happiness at the sight of his mother, "I'm so glad you're alright Mom."

Beside her, Kyle took a step forward, smiling at Isaac, "We owe you our lives, Isaac. If you had come any later, Alex would have had us all killed."

Isaac turned to his father, nodding, "Lucky for us, Alex has deserted Tolbi and will not be killing anyone else."

Doris suddenly turned serious and pulled back from Isaac's hug, "Isaac, why isn't the whole party here? Where are Felix and Mia?"

Isaac felt his heart turn again as he thought of his fallen comrades. He turned to Jenna, communicating without words for her to tell his family the bad news. With Grant in her arms, she nodded, turning to look Doris and Kyle in the eyes.

"Our journey has taken us to every corner of the world, and sadly we faced an opponent stronger than ourselves. Mia and Felix were both taken from us by Maskah, the man who imprisoned you. Alex killed Mia here in Tolbi, and then took Felix with him as he killed himself on the Western Sea," tears started to roll from her swollen eyes, as she spoke Felix's name, "I'm sorry but both Mia and Felix are dead."

Kyle and Doris both let out silent gasps. Kyle had turned pale at Jenna's words. Doris covered her mouth with her hand, whispering, "That can't be…"

The silence suffocated them for a moment before Isaac decided it was right for him to speak up, "We were forced to bury Mia outside of Contigo. As for Felix, his body is far out of our reach now."

"That's horrible," croaked Kyle, as he turned his pale face to Jenna, "I'm so sorry, Jenna. Felix was such a great man, and I'm sure an incredible brother."

Jenna nodded, sniffling, "He would've wanted to die the way he did, I think. He loved the unknown, and now going over the Falls will be his final adventure."

"So that means…" continued Kyle, "That Alex is dead? He went over the Falls as well?"

Isaac nodded slowly, "After he killed Mia, Alex was filled with remorse and decided to leave Tolbi. He took Felix with him and while on the Western Sea, he decided to take his own life and take his ship over the Gaia Falls."

"Poor Mia," whispered Doris, still clearly in shock, "I thought she was a lovely young lady, after getting to know her following the Golden Sun's rising."

"She had been incredible for us during the first part of our journey," replied Isaac, "she was so optimistic, even at the darkest times."

"Well when we return to Vale, we will have a proper funeral for both Mia and Felix," said Kyle strongly, "It's only fair to give such great young adepts a fitting send-off."

Jenna sniffed and looked up from Grant to smile at Kyle, "That's a great idea. Felix would have wanted that."

"And I'm sure the people of Imil will want to attend and give their respects to Mia," added Isaac, thinking out loud, still feeling strange as he accepted the deaths of his two friends.

There was a moment of silence as the four of them remembered the lost adepts. Isaac looked around and saw the rest of his party, spread out and conversing with the other villagers from Vale and Vault. They were all together now, with no evil to rip them apart and capture them. It was reassuring for Isaac. The journey had been long and difficult, but for it to finally come to this point, where he can be with his family in peace, was a great accomplishment.

"Well, Isaac," said Doris quietly with a small smile, "are you ready to rebuild Vale again?"

Isaac smiled back at her as he remembered the next challenge ahead of them. With their hometown in ashes, Vale would need to be built again from the ground up, just as it had five years before, "Of course I'm ready. Home is home, and I know that all of us are willing to help get the town back into shape before we go our separate ways."

Jenna turned to look at the other four: Ivan, Piers and Sheba with the mayor of Vault, and Garet off to the side with his family. For the first time since she had heard Sheba's story, she felt at ease. They were all together now, and they had done what they set out to do. With her child in her arms, this is all she could have asked for.

_If only Felix had been here with me…_

Suddenly realizing that the silence was growing between the four of them, she turned around to face them, "We should get the others together. I don't know about how you guys feel, but I know that just seeing Vale again, whether it's livable or not, will lift my spirits considerably."

They all nodded, and Kyle smiled, "I certainly agree with that. Anything better than a prison cell sounds good right about now."

They all smiled at this, and Isaac turned around and led them back to where the others were. In no time at all, he had the townspeople and the adepts ready at the gate. There was only one plan they could follow. They would walk to Vault, leave the people from that town, and then continue to Vale. Both towns needed rebuilding, but since it had been done once, this was definitely not an impossible task.

Morley reappeared again to open the gates for them, and pulling Isaac aside one last time, he shook his hand one last time and said, "Thank you again for all you have done, Isaac. I'm sorry about your losses, and if you ever need any consolation or just a place to visit, Tolbi is always open to you and all of your party. I have prepared a ship at the docks to take you all home, I hope you will find it comfortable."

Isaac nodded and returned his enthusiastic smile, "I appreciate that, and I thank you for freeing my family and also for returning this town to its former state. I'm sure you have a great future ahead of you."

Morley nodded and gestured towards the Karagol Sea, "And now I will send you home. Goodbye and good luck, brave adepts!"

The six of them leading the way all exchanged this statement with goodbyes of their own, and turning to the road ahead of them, they started off towards home.

Isaac led them out of the town and slowly but surely, they followed the gravel path towards the docks. From here, the Karagol Sea looked huge, with the sun glinting and reflecting off the water, the blue mixing perfectly with the bright green trees lining the coast, and the brown grass that surrounded them. In the distance to his left and right, mountains lined the horizon, guarding Angara from the rest of the world. As he realized their security, Isaac remembered that this was their haven. Here they were safe from any harm, safe from the rest of the world. The picturesque scene in front of him reminded him of home, and the intense longing in his heart returned as he remembered Vale.

They had come across the world to this point. They had traveled both oceans, lost two of their party, and defeated a seemingly impossible foe. And it was all for this moment. He was with his family and friends, the people he had grown up with and the people who had become his second family. Even when the six of them would go their separate ways, they could never truly be apart. They would always be brought together by their experiences. This journey had been a great test of their friendship. They had been separated, captured, and killed. And yet here they were, binded by loss, trust, and the belief that Weyard's peace is something that's worth fighting for.

Weyard was safe now. Isaac knew that as long as he lived, that peace would reign this world he had grown to love. All the evils of his generation had been eradicated. The world was now in the hands of the wise, with no possible interference.

And now they were headed home, to the place it had all began. It seemed like a lifetime ago when he had read that letter from Tolbi in town square. They had come full circle. But during this journey, they had learned more about the world, and more about themselves. They had learned new strengths, and been subjected to new weaknesses. But they had shown in the end, that they had what it takes to defeat even the strongest evil. Now, in mere hours, they would be in Vale. And although it would take a while for normality to set in, just the simple fact of being home would be enough for the six of them.

And taking in the sight of Angara one last time, then looking around at the smiling faces on those around him, Isaac couldn't help but swell with joy.


	56. Chapter 54

**Chapter 54**

_One year later…_

Isaac took one look around the room and slowly sat down in the chair behind him. He slumped back into the chair, looking at the contents of the desk before him. It was an old cherry desk, dusty from lack of use, but still with a hint of shine underneath. There were a few letters strewn across the desk, the scrawl different on each one of them. They were in no particular order, and there were not very many of them. They were just there, waiting for someone to file them or simply read them. Isaac suddenly felt very alone as he looked at the many scrawls on those simple pieces of paper.

This old room held so many memories. Isaac sighed as his eyes strayed from the desk. The foggy window let in a stream of sunlight, illuminating the creaky floorboards that Isaac had once hidden many treasures under. The light spread across the room and revealed the tall bookshelf, looming large above all the other furniture in the room. The books of Alchemy were there, just as they had been for twenty years. Isaac remembered Kraden, the man who had taught him all he knew. They had shared many things, and although Kraden had been old enough to be his grandfather, Isaac always viewed him as another friend.

_Kraden would have wanted to be there. He would've wanted to see what I've become._

Isaac knew that after defeating Maskah, he had become something greater. More than he had been before. He had realized his ability, the one that had been granted to him by The Wise One, the power that had been entrusted to him. Yet the ability had made him feel different. Ever since he had resettled in Vale and returned to living in peace, he had felt more on edge. It was like a constant adrenaline, he always wanted to use the power, always wanting to unleash it one more time. He would walk around the town for hours, talking with anyone he could find. He would go for runs in the morning, just to keep his mind off the power and keep his body working. If he sat down in one place for too long, he would start getting a nervous twitch. It was unsettling. He was constantly reliving that moment.

_The Sol Blade erupts into flames. I raise it above my head and plunge it into Maskah's heart. He falls to his knees and gasps. And then he falls to the ground in a heap, dead._

So much had transpired in the year since Maskah had died. When their party had returned to Vale, they immediately set to work rebuilding it. Through a tremendous amount of work, they were able to resurrect the town again, renewing it just as Isaac had remembered it. It was almost like nothing had changed. It was somewhat eerie, but also reassuring. After Vale's reconstruction had been completed, Isaac had had to say farewell to many of his friends, all of them returning to their respective homes. Ivan had left for Contigo, wanting to return to Hamma and continue to grow as a Jupiter adept. Piers had left in the night, taking the ship and returning to the seas. Isaac had noticed Piers grow apart from the other five towards the end of the rebuilding process. He too missed Mia's presence, and Isaac knew that her death affected him more than anyone else. And Sheba, rather than returning to Lalivero and Faran, set out to journey the world. She wanted to learn more about Weyard, and to continue her insights into human behaviour. She had become very smart, but was always looking for ways to improve her intellect.

As for Garet, he found a woman. Her name was Janice. She was originally from Kalay, but after Garet visited the city and met her, she agreed to return home with him. They were planning on becoming married early next year. Isaac knew they could only be happy together, he had never seen Garet more sure of anything in his life.

Isaac and Jenna had settled down in a new house, along with Grant. They were always busy raising their child, who was catapulting into the realm of toddlerhood right before their eyes. Garet would often visit them and comment on Grant's growth, he was quite a healthy size for his age. But Isaac would always be proud of his son, and would always love him no matter what.

Since the departure of the other three, life had been quiet in Vale. Isaac would often return here, to his old house to visit his parents and to visit with his old memories. It helped him keep his mind off of Sol's power. He knew in his heart he would never again get a chance to use his abilities. His time was over now.

He stood up as he came to this conclusion. He had saved the world. He had taken the last evil and banished it off of the very edges of Weyard. Now he would grow old in peace, with a loving family and many faithful friends. Part of him did not want this to be his ending, but he would accept it.

A map of Weyard was fixed to his wall. He looked at it and took in the massive size of the world. Yet here he was, he had changed its entirety. He had made it better. From Vale to Prox, the many peoples of this world could now get into their beds every night knowing that when they woke up, they would not have to worry about their lives being at risk. They would not have to worry about unknown powers kidnapping women and children from their homes. They could be completely at peace. They could carry on with their lives as they always had.

Weyard had been saved. Its people had been saved. And Isaac's time was now over. For six years he had led his friends around the world, fighting for the side of good in two separate quests. Both of them had taken a toll, and both of them had been a success. Now their party was no longer needed. Isaac would step down and let peace take reign over this world.

And under the common flag of unity and trust, its future would be long and prosperous.


	57. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"_You will live…outside of reality…outside of pain…inside the essence, the emotions."_

A familiar voice rang in his ears. But who was it?

"_Spirit."_

He had never heard these words before. Why were they haunting him now? He tried to open his eyes, tried to see where the words were coming from. But his eyes stayed shut. All around him was white, the blank landscape running by him at tremendous speeds.

He was falling. Falling through nothing.

_Where am I?_

But he could not open his eyes to find out. All he could see was white behind his eyelids. Not the black of blindness, but a reassuring white. Still he fell.

A pit in his stomach grew as he felt himself speeding up as he fell. He felt himself twisting, turning in the air.

_If it is air._

The last thing he remembered…what did he remember? He had no memory, no recollection of anything before this. He wanted to open his eyes to look at himself, to try to find some identity. But still he could not.

The wind around him burned his ears as he sped up still. When would he find ground?

_Am I going to die?_

As the thought of death entered him, a blinding heat entered his body. The flame seemed to burn his flesh and enter his very being.

_What's happening to me?_

But he did not scream in pain as he felt the flame enter his body. He felt almost at peace, even though he was experiencing tremendous pain. He turned and twisted in the air, always speeding up.

This flame, this burning, entered his mind. Behind his closed eyelids, he saw the sun, feeling its heat, watching the rivulets stream from it. The sun grew in his mind and as it did, he slowed down. He continued to fall, but he was no longer falling so fast. He could not understand what was happening, but all he knew was the feeling was right. This was good.

He continued to slow down…coming closer to his destination. He knew now that there was a destination, somewhere he had to stop. He knew nothing about this place, all he knew was he belonged there. The flame was extinguished. He did not feel its pain.

His body stopped twisting and turning, and he moved to a standing position. And then he stopped. He felt solid ground under his feet.

And his eyes opened.

Before him was an endless field. There were no trees, no plants, only an endless flat plain of grass. There was no sun shining overhead, yet the plain was perfectly lit. He turned around in a full circle, and the field was on all sides of him. He could see no horizon, only white in the distance.

_This is my destination._

He looked down at himself. He was clothed in a clean brown shirt, with heavy pants and black boots. Around his back was a green cape.

And as he looked at himself, he remembered his identity. Who he was.

_I am Felix._

His past was still lost to him, he could not remember anything before this moment. But he knew this was where he was supposed to be.

Suddenly, a feeling of boundless energy entered him and following its direction he set off at a jog in the direction he was facing. He had no idea what he would find, but he felt no tire in his legs as he increased his pace to a run. In fact, he did not feel himself tire at all.

So he continued to run through the grassy plain. The grass was a perfect green. Every blade identical. Every blade perfect. As he ran, he heard those words in his mind again.

"_Outside of pain…inside the essence…the emotions."_

That voice…that voice had known this place. He had found it himself. But the voice had known about it before him. The idea was intriguing but Felix didn't feel downtrodden at all as he continued to run.

He looked ahead of him and saw an object in the distance. It was impossible to miss and as he ran closer he realized what it was.

It was a ship.

The ship was on the grass, its head facing Felix as he ran. Still Felix ran closer. Something was there waiting for him.

It was a decorated ship, clearly crafted by the fine makers. It was perfectly clean and the metal helm reflected the white above him.

Finally he slowed down and approached the ship without caution. He knew this was right. He had to be here.

He went to the right side of the ship and where the ornate railing would have been, he found a man. The man who stood there just stared at him as Felix stared back. He had not expected to find another man here, it seemed like such an empty place.

_This was my place._

He recognized the man before him though. The blue hair, blue eyes, the piercing stare. Yes, this man's name was Alex. He remembered this man…although he could not remember for what purpose.

"Felix…" said Alex slowly.

Felix nodded slowly, Alex apparently recognized him too.

"Felix, we have arrived."

He was right. They had arrived. At where he did not know, but that was immaterial. This entire place was perfect, nothing could possibly go wrong here.

"Yes, we have reached our destination," replied Felix firmly, "But what is this place called?"

Alex looked around with a thoughtful gaze for a few minutes, then turned back to Felix, a sincere smile on his face, "This place is the final frontier for all mankind. The one world that exists in our minds, the world where our thoughts travel to when we are in need. But we only come here in death. The material world, Weyard, is gone."

Felix listened to every word and savoured it like honey on his tongue. He was speaking the truth. And it was beautiful.

"I have explored this world," continued Alex, "And there are others like you and I, adepts from Weyard's past. Those who have given their physical bodies for nobility and peace. They have stayed here and are eternally happy."

Felix then remembered his other friends, the seven adepts he left behind on Weyard. As he thought of them, he did not miss them, nor did he long for them, but he felt enough curiosity to bring them up, "What of the other seven? What of Isaac's party?"

Alex smiled, "Do not miss them, Felix, for they will be here when their time comes as well. We have earned our right to be here, we have taken power and controlled it for both ourselves and those around us. Now we exist eternally in this spirit, forever bound by our past and our future."

Felix looked around, the fields sprawling out before his eyes. In the distance, a forest could be seen clinging to the horizon. A world of discovery lay out before him, and he couldn't wait to explore it for himself. He felt like a child again, his innocence returned to him in this perfect world. Without a care, he would continue to live in this world, to live inside his emotions.

Like water from a bubbling spring, Felix's happiness in that moment was pure. No other thought entered his mind as he asked one final question, "What is this place called, Alex?"

Alex looked at him with curiosity for a moment, then turned to the ship.

"You have come here over the Gaia Falls, Felix, to a place that is above any name. Yet the people here have given it a simple one," answered Alex with a smile and a long sweeping gesture at the land around them.

"This is Treyana, and Felix, I welcome you with all my heart."


End file.
